Leading from the Middle:

Exploring the Role of the Department Chair

For: Department Chairs and those considering the role

Wednesday, April 26, 2023
8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Hosted by:

Newark Academy

91 S Orange Ave.
Livingston, NJ 07039

Department chairs play a pivotal role in educational leadership, yet as leaders "from the middle" they face unique challenges. At many schools, they are both a colleague and an evaluator, a teacher and an administrator. How does a Department Chair navigate these sometimes competing aspects of the position successfully? Using case studies as a springboard for discussion, this interactive workshop, led by current and former department chairs, will help you explore the contours of the role and identify the variety of skills required to succeed. Both current department chairs and those considering the position are encouraged to join.

Program Agenda Linked here

Program Fee

$125 per registrant, Member Schools

$250 per registrant, Non-Member Schools

Presented by:

Nancy Celente currently serves as Director of Summer Programs at Newark Academy. Ms. Celente joined the Newark Academy faculty in 1987 as a member of the Science Department. Ms. Celente has taught middle school science, biology, anatomy and physiology and currently teaches IB Biology. Ms. Celente served as Chair of the Science Department from 2005-2017. Under her leadership, the department expanded their series of electives, committed to IB science instruction and focused on lab experiences for all levels of classes. Ms. Celente also served as the STEM Coordinator, seeking out and connecting Newark Academy students to guest speakers, field trips and summer internships to nurture their interest in all STEM related fields. She was recognized with the Lynham Chair Award for exemplary teaching and interest in the personal development of her students. She is the advisor of multiple clubs on campus. They include: Supporting Women in STEM, Newark Anatomy and STEM Journal. In addition, Ms. Celente is a member of the Cum Laude society. After serving as an Assistant Director of Summer Session for many years, Ms. Celente stepped into the role of Director of Summer Programs in 2020. She works closely with the administrative team to support and mentor more than 70 faculty members and offer innovative and inspiring programs for more than 1,000 students.

Mary Lysinger is the Language Department chair at Newark Academy. She is also a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of New Jersey. Ms. Lysinger joined the NA community in 2001 as a French teacher and quickly moved into the department chair role. As department chair, Ms. Lysinger re-designed the middle school world language curriculum while teaching all levels of French including AP/IB. Additionally, she implemented school exchange with a French school in Fontainebleau, France. Ms. Lysinger has also worked as a clinician providing assessments and individual counseling for adults and young adults with anxiety, depression, PTSD, adjustment disorders and/or addictions. She earned her BA in French from the University of Pittsburgh, her MA from the University of Pennsylvania, and her MA/EdS in Counseling from Seton Hall University.

Jeff Vinikoor has been a member of the Newark Academy faculty since 2008 and was named Director of Studies in 2018. In this position, Jeff is the senior academic leader charged with oversight of the curriculum, development and implementation of academic policies, and leadership of faculty on pedagogy and classroom practices. Jeff also serves as Director of NA’s June Term program, which provides Upper School students in Grades 9-11 with a single intensive and experiential learning course during the last two weeks of the Spring semester. In addition, he is the Dean of the Class of 2024, and in this capacity helps shepherd members of this class through the Upper School. He also teaches IB Theory of Knowledge. From 2011 to 2018, Jeff served as Chair of the NA Humanities Department, and he has previously coached soccer and led wilderness and linguistic immersion trips.

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MEMBER INFORMATION: If your school is a member of NJAIS, upon receipt of your registration, we will automatically generate an invoice and send it to your Business Office. Payment is not required at the time of your registration. Your school will have 30 days to pay the invoice.

NON-MEMBER INFORMATION: If you are an employee of an organization or school that is NOT a member of NJAIS and you are registering for this workshop, please provide the company/school address. We will automatically generate an invoice and send it to your Business Office. Payment is not required at the time of your registration. Your school will have 30 days to pay the invoice. Thank you.

By engaging in this experience, participants expressly acknowledge and respect the intellectual property of the presenters. Participants will not independently record, or knowingly let anyone else record, any presenter without explicit permission.

Participation in NJAIS events signifies an attendee’s acknowledgement of infectious and other diseases and voluntary assumption of the risk of exposure or infection by attending the event. Attendees agree to comply with all guidelines and procedures, including any guidelines NJAIS sees fit as the date of this event draws closer, in accordance with recommendations from the CDC and other public health authorities.

Registration fees will only be refunded if NJAIS is notified of your cancellation two weeks prior to the program, Wednesday, April 12, 2023. You may transfer your registration to a colleague in your school at no cost.

Cancelation requests should be sent via email to Rachel Folan, rfolan@njais.org.