The Board of Trustees of the Newark School of the Arts today announced that a nationwide search commences for a new Executive Director.

In the meantime, an Interim Executive Director will be appointed and supported by two of the School’s long-time leaders, Sherrie Thaler (Development Director) and Nadine Herman (Musical Director).  The Executive Committee members of the Board will also be engaged to provide temporary management support.

“Sherrie Thaler and Nadine Herman are both talented and dedicated professionals who have had a consistent presence at the Newark School of the Arts for many years,” said Henry Rinder, President of the Board of Trustees.  “They know the faculty, the parents and the curriculum. We are confident they will seamlessly support the duties of the Interim Executive Director during the search process. They also fully understand the goals and objectives of the Board, which is to expand the School’s many exciting arts programs and course to as many individuals as possible.”

It is expected that a new Executive Director will be in place in time to prepare for the 2012-13 year, as the school’s Succession Planning Task Force launches a comprehensive search.

The Newark School of the Arts has won multiple awards and has been widely recognized over the years as an outstanding arts institution. The school was one of the first to receive Challenge grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the New Jersey Cultural Trust. Most recently, the school was a recipient of a multi-year grant from the New Jersey Stage Council of the Arts, in collaboration with the National Endowment of the Arts. 

The Newark School of the Arts (NSA) provides high-level training in the performing and visual arts. Since 1968, the School has offered instruction for everyone with an interest in the arts regardless of age, talent and financial resources. NSA delivers instruction in the performance of musical instruments, singing, music theory, drama, dance, and visual arts. The NSA is a family and community oriented school that has served 38,000 individuals since its inception, and provides education for 500 students each week.