Community Outcry Prompts District to Cancel Principal Swap

West Orange's interim superintendent received a standing ovation Thursday night when he told a group of more than a hundred Hazel community members that Edwin Acevedo would remain principal at the elementary school. 

"The board and I have revisited our options," Interim Superintendent James O'Neill said. "We looked at them carefully and we have opted to implement a number of changes next year we believe will benefit the students in Edison."

The proposed transfer was to move Acevedo to Edison Central 6 as principal and have Xavier Fitzgerald take over at Hazel because of the elementary school's recent success.

Raj Shah, a father of three children at Hazel, thanked O'Neill, saying, "I think that's the best possible news."

"I think that it really does go to show the power of the community," he said. "When we do work together collectively how much we can influence."

The proposal caused an uproar in the community this past week, with residents flooding the administration and board with calls and emails.

Earlier this week, O'Neill met with Edison's Parent Teacher Association where he said no one wanted Fitzgerald to move as well. 

The Hazel parents have credited Acevedo with the recent turnaround of the school, which has boosted morale among parents and students. 

"We need continued stability," Shah said. "We have grown and there is still an opportunity to grow."

Additionally, at a school where almost half of students' family come from a Spanish-speaking home, Acevedo, who speaks three languages, is better able to engage with the community, Shah said.

But the plan to swap principals is not completely dead; it's just being tabled, officials said. O'Neill explained that when he came to West Orange, the board asked him to look at a wide range of issues in the district and the proposal was part of the process.

"The only away is I can spark the discussion is to put the proposal on the table," O'Neill said.

The district will revisit the issue next year.