As of April 1, 2025, the West Morris Regional High School District is set to welcome a familiar face as its new Superintendent of Schools. The Board of Education recently appointed Mr. Steve Ryan, the current principal of West Morris Mendham High School, to fill this position following the upcoming retirement of Dr. Sargent (see The Paw’s sister article for more information).
Mr. Ryan has served as the principal of West Morris Mendham High School for the past seven years. Prior to that, he was also the principal of West Morris Central High School for the same amount of time, totaling to fourteen years serving as such a prominent leader within the district. “Having been principal of each of our district’s schools for such a long period of time, I have had the opportunity to really get to know the magic within both communities,” says Ryan. “This puts me in a unique position to be able to celebrate everything that our district has to offer, and also informs me of areas in which our students, teachers, and families may be looking for more support.”
Upon first entering the West Morris Regional High School District fourteen years ago, Mr. Ryan recalls that both WMC and WMM were “technologically behind” other schools in Northern New Jersey. Additionally, the district’s renowned International Baccalaureate (IB) programs only served about 10% of the student population at the time, whereas now, nearly 45% of junior and senior students are affiliated with one of the two IB programs across both schools. Mr. Ryan is incredibly proud of the ways in which he has seen the district develop over the course of his career, not only technologically and academically, but also in “how the attributes of the IB Learner Profile have become a part of the two school communities.” The IB Learner Profile outlines ten attributes that IB aims to foster in students, creating well-rounded individuals who are inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, risk-takers, caring, balanced, and reflective. “Each of the ten are far more robust and appreciated by students and faculty today,” exclaims Ryan. “I think this is incredibly evident when you set foot in either of our district’s two schools.”
Having previously held such profound administrative roles with the West Morris Regional High School District, Mr. Ryan is now eager to follow in some of his colleagues’ footsteps. “Throughout the duration of my career, I have worked very closely with many of our district’s prior superintendents,” explains Ryan. “Stepping into this new role, I am excited to be leading the conversations that I have been a part of for so long, and to be the one asking the important questions.” One of his primary objectives coming into this superintendency is to “optimize the voices of all of the stakeholders in both school communities,” in hopes of being able to utilize the ideas and suggestions of the district’s students, faculty, and families to help enhance both WMC and WMM.
While his impact on the district has already been vast, Mr. Ryan ultimately hopes that this upcoming superintendency will allow him to further inspire “innovation and risk taking,” and also cultivate “a community of trust” within the West Morris Regional High School District. “It is such an honor to be able to work with people who dedicate their lives to helping young people be the most fulfilled versions of themselves,” says Ryan. “When you combine student innovation with a mutual trust amongst students, faculty, and families, the possibilities are limitless.”
