MORRISTOWN Pauline Anderson of West Milford has successfully defended her dissertation at the College of St. Elizabeth to earn her doctorate in educational leadership. Anderson's dissertation is entitled, "Grade-Span Configuration and School-to-School Transitions." She is principal of Walnut Ridge Primary School in Vernon.
"I would highly recommend the Ed.D. program at the College of Saint Elizabeth to anyone with the desire to acquire a doctoral degree in the field of educational leadership," says Anderson. "The focus of the program is servant leadership, and I have been the beneficiary of that spirit of service from the moment I became part of the program...my advisor is an exceptional educator...the colleagues I have met have also been there to support me during the entire three-year process."
Anderson has an extensive background in education, having worked in both private and public school settings. She began her career teaching fifth grade at Blessed Virgin Mary Help of Christians School in Woodside, N.Y., shortly after graduating from College of Mount Saint Vincent in Riverdale, N.Y., with a bachelor of arts degree in psychology with a minor in education. She continued teaching, married and moved to New Jersey and soon thereafter started her administrative career as principal of Our Lady Queen of Peace School in Hewitt. After six years, she moved on to enter the world of public education and became principal of Frank J. Smith School in East Hanover, before assuming her current position.
In addition to a bachelor's degree, Anderson holds a master of science in special education from St. John's University, Jamaica, N.Y., and a master of arts in educational administration from Caldwell College, Caldwell. She and her husband Rick have three children - twin sons Daniel and Eric and a daughter Mary.