Two New Jersey principals were honored at this month’s state Board of Education meeting for going above and beyond in their commitment to improving their school communities this year.
Lindsay Gooditis, principal of Franklin Township School in Hunterdon County, was named the 2024 Visionary Elementary Principal of the Year by the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association. Neil Burti was named the Secondary Principal of the Year for his tenure as principal of Carusi Middle School in Cherry Hill in Camden County.
The pair were honored at last week’s state Board of Education meeting in Trenton.
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Since she was appointed to serve as principal of Franklin Township School in 2019, Gooditis has dedicated herself to “the school’s mission of nurturing responsible, respectful members of a democratic society,” according to Karen Bingert, the executive director of the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association.
Bingert said at Wednesday’s meeting that, under Gooditis’ stewardship, Franklin has earned a silver certification with Sustainable Jersey Schools every year for the past four years.
The sustainability initiatives she championed include allowing fifth-graders to conduct regular energy audits of the school and propose changes based on their results.
This and other endeavors “have engaged students from preschool to eighth grade by not only fostering hands-on learning, but also instilling a sense of responsibility and environmental consciousness among students,” Bingert said.
Earlier this year, Gooditis was also named a National Distinguished Principal by the National Association of Elementary School Principals.
Burti currently serves as Cherry Hill Public Schools’ director of secondary education, but was honored for his prior tenure as principal of the district’s John A. Carusi Middle School.
Following the post-pandemic return to the classroom, Burti quickly realized that new learning structures would have to be implemented to help students readjust to in-person education, the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association said.
Burti introduced mentoring services, safe-space clubs, peer advocacy and academic intervention, according to Bingert. Under those programs, attendance numbers increased and disciplinary infractions dropped.
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AJ McDougall may be reached at amcdougall@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on X at @oldmcdougall.
