Thursday, June 8, 2000 Older Editions

Sanborn principal will miss year; Reitman takes leave of absence

By Rebecca Piro

Superintendent of Schools Claudia Bach announced officially Tuesday night that Jade Reitman, current principal at Sanborn Elementary School, is taking a leave of absence. Reitman's absence will be for the entire 2000-2001 academic year, said Bach. Stephen Jankauskas, assistant principal to Eileen Woods at South Elementary School, has been appointed as the interim principal at Sanborn. Jankauskas will assume his position on July 1, and a meeting with concerned parents has already been scheduled for June 12. "(Jankauskas) is looking forward to this opportunity," said Bach. "Both Dr. Reitman and Dr. Woods have been very supportive of this (transition)." Jankauskas has been involved in the district for 30 years with teaching and special education, and has served as the assistant principal at South for the past two years. In a letter to the parents at Sanborn, Reitman explained her reasons for leaving her position. "The past eight years spent at Sanborn are the same years I've been juggling work and childrearing. I find it increasingly difficult to balance the two," she said. Only months ago Reitman had applied for a principalship at Boxford's Spofford Pond School, closer to where she lives. Although she was a finalist, she did not get the post. Taking a leave of absence was a difficult choice for Reitman, who says she will miss the faces at Sanborn. "I love this job - the teachers and the kids. That's been the most difficult part of the decision," she said. Reitman stated that she plans to pursue other "professional interests" during her time away, and hopes to "return in the fall of 2001 rejuvenated."