Gary Vitta Evaluation

Dr. Vitta's Legacy

Professional Educator. Master School Administrator. College Professor. Dedicated Husband, Father, Grandfather, And Loyal Friend To Many

Bump on My Road of Professional Success

“Those Without Sin Cast The First Stone”

Fact: I was charged with Obstruction of Justice/ Witness Tampering

Fact: This happened years after my retirement

Fact: I pled guilty to this offense. There was no arrest or indictment.

Fact: I mistakenly told someone not to tell the truth about a gift(s) given to my daughter at her graduation party at the Madison Hotel in 2007. It should be noted that I had given the gifts back shortly after the gathering in 2007. However, the mistake, error in judgment or offense as it’s called happened in 2013/14. It truly was a mind boggling stupid act on my part. I am not including all the details of this here but the charge was as stated above

Fact: Federal Judge Chesler said if he thought I took a bribe he would be sending me to jail; however what happened here is very unclear and it represented mind-boggling stupidity. There was no restitution of the gifts at all as there was no bribery or corruption.

Fact: I was sentenced to three years of probation with the first year being home confinement. I was also fined $10,000

Fact: I never was charged with bribery or corruption and I never did anything against the law in the past. The word corruption or crooked was never used by anyone other than an article written by a radio station and perhaps some other media outlet. I assume that those words were used to inflame what occurred and to defame my good name

Fact: I am also a very trusting, amiable human being and let many people into my life. I have been told by many this is part of my personality and that I should be far more careful as to whom I call a friend.

Fact: I had over 135 strong letters of support from individuals in all professions including a former Chief of Police, a former Secret Service Agent, Police Officers, Doctors, Detectives, Lawyers, Board of Education Members, Professional Colleagues, Family, Friends, former students and neighbors

Fact: I take full responsibility for my stupidity and for the offense as well as the pain and suffering I caused myself, my family and friends

Fact: About a year after adjudication of the offense, the State of New Jersey filed a civil lawsuit against me claiming that the offense would precipitate a forfeiture of my earned pension and medical benefits and that I should be barred from public employment

Fact: This lawsuit went on for months and a vigorous battle was fought by my attorney and the attorneys for the State of New Jersey

Fact: Superior Court Judge Mary Jacobson ruled and a final judgment was declared with prejudice meaning that this case can never be brought forth again. She ruled that the State of New Jersey failed to prove that what happened touched upon my role as Superintendent and that my pension must be restored immediately and retroactively. She also ruled that I could work in public employment.

Fact: The State of New Jersey filed a motion appealing her decision to the New Jersey Appellate Court. The State of New Jersey then dropped their appeal on August 3, 2016 indicating that upon further review of the record and issues in this case that it was decided that the State should withdraw its Notice of Appeal

Fact: The New Jersey Bureau of Pensions refused to abide by Judge Mary Jacobson’s decision and my attorney had to fight vigorously with the pension bureau

Fact: The Judge had to once again be asked to reissue her order and after more legal briefs and battles my pension was finally restored in late August 2016

Fact: Steve Edelstein, my attorney, is in my humble opinion, the absolute best expert in the field of school law and pensions. The legal briefs and oral arguments were outstanding and truthful. He and his team carefully examined all the issues and provided concrete examples as to why the State was so off base in even bringing forth such a lawsuit.

Fact: This entire ordeal took years off my life and caused so much suffering not only to me but to my wife, children and all my family and friends. I take full responsibility for my stupid ridiculous action.

Fact: There are definitely media outlets that choose words that are inflammatory such as crooked Superintendent and Corrupt etc. These are defamatory remarks that incite the public with information that is totally erroneous.

Fact: In addition, the New Jersey Board of Examiners also did not abide by the Judge’s decision regarding working in public employment and decided to try to revoke my certification. After another legal battle I agreed to settle for a 3 year suspension of my School Administrator’s Certificate.

Fact: I presented above the facts and only the facts. There can be no dispute over what is written here.

Fact: As I said above I was wrong and this was a major blip in my successful career. It will be a stigma I must learn to live with all my life.

It is my hope that others can learn from my mistake

It is also my hope that I can move forward despite fake news and the damage I did to my reputation

It is my hope that whoever lays eyes on this website reads the various pages in total

I plan to post about 25 of the 135 letters of support I received during this life altering crisis

It has been a rough road but with God, Family and Friends I survived

I plan to move forward with integrity and dignity

2017

May 5, 2011

Dear Dr. Vitta,

It is with great pleasure that we present you with our evaluation of your performance for the 2010/2011 school year.

As in the past through your leadership and strong sense of fiscal responsibility, this year our district continued to provide a quality educational program for our students in spite of our budgetary challenges. Thank you for the list of accomplishments you provided the Board in April. It is impressive and reinforces so many of your contributions. The following briefly highlights what you have achieved.

CONTINUE PATH FOR EFFICIENT FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

In spite of the restrictions imposed by the State, you are to be commended for developing a budget for the 2011-2012 school year that was well below cap. The results of the recent budget vote indicate strong approval by the community for what you have done. You continue to look for ways to curtail costs and have saved the district hundreds of thousands of dollars during your tenure. Donations and sponsorships from corporate partnerships, such as PNC Bank, are the direct result of the positive relationships you have forged. We continue to look for energy cost savings with the solar initiative well on its way. Under your direction, the district received a substantial grant from the Samsung Corporation which will benefit our children for years to come. We are confident that given your exceptional negotiating skills, further cost savings will be realized. Currently, all of the bargaining unit contracts are up for renewal and strategies you shared with the board were instrumental in outlining specific issues for discussion.

CONTINUE PATH FOR EXCELLENCE IN CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION

Largely through your leadership, there was a smooth transition in music, art, library, guidance, technology, etc., even though the district suffered significant cutbacks due to budgetary limitations. Some special education programs and classes have been reorganized, prioritized and are currently effective and efficient. New elementary report cards were piloted and are now in place. Your willingness to go into classrooms and teach lessons continues to be well received and reinforces your credibility as an instructional leader. Under the direction of Dr. Grefe, a new writing program was implemented, the K-5 world language program was redesigned and the I&RS program was fine tuned. Meaningful professional development opportunities provided support for these initiatives. We look forward to hearing an evaluation of these programs at the end of the school year. In addition, an expanded mathematics and redesigned Spanish program at the middle school are slated to begin in the fall. Our after school programs continued with your Pay for Play plan at Copeland Middle School and PTA assistance in some of the elementary schools. The Board is in favor of these programs with quarterly evaluations provided due to the fiscal climate and is awaiting your recommendation for how it will be structured next year.

CONTINUE PATH FOR IMPROVED COMMUNITY COMMUNICATIONS AND RELATIONS

Communication has definitely been energized in our district due to the collaborative efforts of the district administration, technology department and Board Communications Committee. With the reduction in force that our district experienced, your reallocation of responsibilities has been a tremendous help in this endeavor. Your open lines of communication with military families and the Commander at Picatinny Arsenal ensure that their needs are met. You continue to explore partnerships with community organizations and businesses, such as PNC Bank. Although not this year because it is an every other year occurrence, the realtor and senior citizen events that you initiated have helped keep citizens informed. Your willingness to attend PTA meetings and your monthly meetings with the PTA Presidents have been extremely effective in communicating correct information and clarifying rumors that exist.

FACILITES

The condition of our facilities is exceptional. Under your leadership, there has been substantial improvement, both physically and aesthetically. Our buildings are now well maintained and “environmentally friendly.” As stated in your action plan, the Board anticipates that possible redistricting and space utilization studies need to be considered in the near future to address district needs.

BOARD COLLABORATION WITH STAFF

Due to budgetary constraints and State of New Jersey mandates, our district experienced significant reductions in staff as well as many job reassignments. Our board was concerned that the collaborative spirit that this district had experienced under your leadership would deteriorate. However, that did not happen due largely to your strong interpersonal skills and boundless efforts.

Aside from the district goals, the Board recognizes your sincere concern for people, as you have led this district with an “open heart.” An example of this is how you were relentless in trying to secure positions for so many of our staff members who lost their positions due to reduction in force. On numerous occasions, parents have sent letters to the Board thanking you for being approachable and for your willingness to do what was right for their children.

Gary, it is with deep gratitude and appreciation that our Board accepts your resignation for reasons of retirement, effective January 1, 2012. During your tenure with us, your personal and professional commitment to excellence has been remarkable. Aside from your professional responsibilities, your personal donations to our district and your willingness to take a wage freeze for the 2010-2011 school year have not gone unnoticed. We value your offer to come back to our district for a few times a week “gratis,” immediately following your retirement to help with the transition, but we have since found out that the State of New Jersey will not allow this. However, all of this is a true testament to your genuine concern of always doing what is best for our district.

In accordance with State regulations, all terms and conditions of your three-year contract remain the same for the 2011-2012 school year and will be prorated to reflect the date of your retirement. We look forward to working with you during the next seven months as we continue our pursuit of educational excellence.

Sincerely,

Susan Salny, Vice President

for the Rockaway Township Board of Education

Frank Giarratano, Joseph Jackson, Robert Kurland, Susan Salny and Fred West