Paramus High School - Delphian Yearbook (Paramus, NJ)

Page 8 text:

Mr. Richard E. Zanella .. . Changing of the Guard Mr. Richard E. Zannella Principal On May 14, 1984 the Paramus Board of Education appointed Mr. Richard E. Zanella, Principal at Mountain Lakes High School, as our new principal, after having reviewed over one hundred qualified applicants. Mr. Zanella began his educational career in 1968 as a teacher of Social Studies, audio-visual aids director, and football coach at Hollidaysburg, Pa. In 1972-73, he served as Assistant to the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania School Study Council at Penn State University. In 1973-74, he became Assistant Principal at Lock Haven High School in Pennsylvania. From 1974 through 1978, he served as Principal at Northern Cambria High School in Barnesboro, Pa. Having earned his Bachelor ' s degree in 1968, from Indiana State University, Pennsylvania, he received his Master ' s degree from Pennsylvania State University. Mr. Zanella has served as Adjunct Professor at Pennsylva¬ nia State University where he taught courses in Health Education, Drug Education, Curriculum and Supervision, and Secondary Education in America. He has written numerous articles for the National Association of Secondary School Principals on such topics as student leadership, drug abuse prevention, discipline and improving in-service education for teachers. It is with great pride that we gratefully dedicate this twenty-sixth edition of the Delphian to our new principal. He came to us during a period of great change. He has demonstrated that he had the ability to direct us during this year of the Kaleidscope and will continue to do so in the later half of this decade. May his reign be a long and successful one!

Page 7 text:

CONTENTS Administration . 10 Faculty . 16 Seniors .50 Student Life .114 Candids .222 Advertising . .. 238 Index .264 3

Page 9 text:

11 fflUMMMR Ralph J. Mele Assistant Superintendent of Schools Our school district was stunned last January by the untimely death of our friend and colleague, Ralph J. Mele. This page of the yearbook is dedicated to him and to the lifetime of service he gave to the Paramus Public Schools and, more specifically, to the children of Paramus. Mr. Mele started his career in Paramus as a fourth grade teacher in the Spring Valley School. After serving as a classroom teacher for only six months, he was called into active military service during the Korean War. Upon his return to Paramus, he held teaching positions at Parkway School and at Paramus High School until 1960 when he was named Administrative Assistant to George W. Hod- gins who was then Superintendent of Schools. Mr. Mele served in this capacity for over ten years, during which time he was actively involved in budget development, transportation, public relations, enrollment projections and student teaching assignments. Shortly after the arrival of Superintendent Paul A. Shelly in September 1971, Mr. Mele was promoted to Director of Personnel, a position for which he was eminently well qualified. In this capacity he organized the district personnel office into the fine- tuned operation it is today. In 1982, upon the resignation of Harry A. Galinsky, Mr. Mele was promoted to the position of Assistant Superintendent of Schools. Over the years, Mr. Mele ' s fine personal qualities, his ready smile, his unassuming manner and his dedication and competence gained him the love and admiration of all of those with whom he worked and of the parents, students and community. As Joan Walters, President of the Paramus Board of Education commented, He was a gentle man and a gentleman. Mr. Mele was a virtual walking encyclopedia of infor¬ mation on the Paramus Public Schools — he knew every teacher by name, he knew the enrollments of every school and class, he knew the inner workings of the bud¬ get, he knew the history of the school district. He was able to keep all of this information at his command and bring it forth at critical points in the decision-making processes. Mr. Mele was active professionally and in the life of the community. He was an active member of the New Jersey Association of School Administrators, of the Mid-Atlantic Association for School, College and University Staffing, of the Bergen County Superintendents Association, of the New Jersey Schoolmasters Club and of the Horace Mann League of U.S.A. Locally he served as a member of the Kiwanis Club, served five years as a member of the Param¬ us Library Board, and in 1967 was awarded the Paramus Junior Chamber of Commerce Educator of the Year Award. Mr. Mele was a graduate of Jersey City State Col¬ lege and Seton Hall University. In commenting on Mr. Mele ' s loss, Paul Shelly, Superin¬ tendent of Schools, stated, No single person gave more to this school district in terms of dedication, competence, commitment or loyalty than Ralph Mele. No single person was more committed to the belief in public education as a cornerstone of our democracy. We shall miss him sorely, but he shall forever have a place in our hearts. 5