At its meeting on April 26, 2016, the North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District Board of Education approved Mr. Jeffrey Bender as the new Superintendent of Schools, beginning July 1, 2016. He is replacing Dr. Frank Helies, who has served as Interim Superintendent since September 1, 2015. Dr. Charles M. Shaddow retired as Superintendent on August 31, 2015 after serving in the position for 17 years.
“The North Hunterdon-Voorhees Board is pleased to announce the appointment of Jeffrey Bender as Superintendent. Mr. Bender comes to NHV from Union Township where he has been the Superintendent since 2007. As a sitting superintendent for one of our sending districts, he is uniquely positioned to understand the strengths and challenges of NHV. We look forward to working together with him to advance our mission of educational excellence, developing our students to their fullest potential, and ensuring their lifelong love of learning,” said Sandra Seidorf, President of the Board of Education.
Mr. Bender comes to the high school district with 22 years of experience as an educator. Since July 2003, he has worked for the Union Township School District, first as Elementary Principal then being promoted to Superintendent in October 2007. Union Township School District is a sending district to the North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District. During his tenure, Union Township Middle School was recognized as one of the top ten performing middle schools in New Jersey.
Prior to working in Union Township School District, Mr. Bender served as a Supervisor of Special Education in the high schools of the Council Rock School District in Newtown, Pennsylvania, serving over ten thousand students. In addition, Mr. Bender taught Special Education in multiple Pennsylvania high schools. His educational attainments include a Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education with an emphasis in Social Studies, a Master’s Degree in Special Education, a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership, and he is currently enrolled in a Doctoral program at Seton Hall University, also in Educational Leadership.
The Board of Education approved a three-year contract for Mr. Bender with a salary of $157,500 (contract is pending approval by the Executive County Superintendent).