May, 2013

Dear Springfield Township Community,

I am very pleased to announce that we have finalized the selection of both the Springfield Township High School Principal, and the Director of Special Education and Pupil Services for our district. We have identified two excellent and well qualified candidates that I am confident will serve our students, staff, and families exceptionally well. Both candidates were selected after significant input from all community stakeholders, including administrators, professional and support staff, parents, and students. The candidates will be formally approved at the Board meeting on Monday, May 20, 2013.

Coming to Springfield as our new High School Principal is Dr. Charles Rittenhouse, who currently serves as principal at Upper Dublin High School. Dr. Rittenhouse has served as a high school principal since 1998, bringing a wealth of experience to his new role. A resident of Oreland, Dr. Rittenhouse is a member of the Springfield community, who continues to coach lacrosse and basketball in local community leagues. His three sons attend Springfield Township schools. Dr. Rittenhouse’s appointment satisfies many of the criteria that were revealed in community, staff, and student surveys, which indicated preferences for a candidate that focused on an experienced individual who had ties to the local area, and who would be committed to remaining at Springfield for the long term.

Serving as the new Director of Pupil Services and Special Education will be Ms. Jodi Roseman, who currently works as a Director of Special Education in the Philadelphia School District. Ms. Roseman, who is completing her Doctorate in Education from Arcadia University, holds two Master’s degrees, one in Special Education and one in Curriculum and Instruction, and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She has served as a Director of Special Education for the past five years, overseeing programming and serving as the Deputy Chief’s liaison for all special education matters in over fifty schools. Ms. Roseman was formerly a Case Manager in the Office of Specialized Instructional Services in Philadelphia, where she developed Special Education procedural guidelines, policy manuals, and helped to coordinate training and technical assistance for regional staff members. A resident of Jenkintown, she has served as an Adjunct Instructor in Special Education at both West Chester and Arcadia Universities, and as a former Emotional and Learning Support teacher and Inclusion Specialist, brings an exceptionally strong knowledge of special education and gifted education to Springfield.

Once our candidates are formally approved, we will begin to work on the transition between our out-going administrators and Dr. Rittenhouse and Ms. Roseman. We will be soon be selecting a date for an evening Meet and Greet so that members of the Springfield community will have an opportunity to meet these two new administrators. We look forward to welcoming them to our district.

Many thanks to our Board members, administrators, staff, parents, and students who participated in the varied forms of input into the processes for selection of these fine candidates!

Dr. Nancy M. Hacker

Superintendent