Centenary College Professional Development Schools
The mission of the Centenary College Professional Development School collaborative program was instituted by Dr. John F. Autore in 2003.
Dr. Autore is a retired Elementary Principal from Bloomfield who spent seven years in the Education Department at the college. Dr. Autore retired from the college in August of 2008.
The program has been designed to create learning communities that function as collaborative partnerships between a school/school district and Centenary College. In doing so, the program offers win-win-win opportunities for P-12 learners, pre-service teachers, and in-service teachers.
Download our "Nuts and Bolts" introduction that describes the PDS collaborative relationship. 
Centenary College is currently engaged in the sixth year of participation in a national movement promoting Professional Development School (PDS) collaboration, and is continuing to encourage and promote relationships that will help ensure quality field placements for our student teacher interns and on-going professional growth of educators.
Download a copy of our PDS Research paper.
PDS Degree, Certification, and Licensure Programs
Master of Arts in Instructional Leadership - Supervisor Licensure.
Download the Course Sequencing for the Instructional Leadership Degree.
Download the Instructional Leadership Degree Audit Worksheet.
Master of Arts in Educational Leadership - Principal Licensure.
Download the Course Sequencing for the Educational Leadership Degree.
Download the Educational Leadership Degree Audit Worksheet.
Master of Arts in Special Education.
Download the Course Sequencing for the Special Education Degree.
Teacher of Students with Disabilities Certification.
Download the Course Sequencing for the Teacher of Students with Disabilities Certification.
PDS Program Coordinators
- Prof. Robert A. Cavo, Professional Development Schools Program Coordinator.
Professor Robert A. Cavo
Professor Cavo is a graduate of Glassboro State College where he earned his B.A. degree in 1975. He received his Master’s of Arts degree in Education from Jersey City State College. He has served as an Elementary, Middle School, and High School Teacher. His Administrative positions include Athletic Director, K-12 Supervisor, High School Assistant Principal, and Elementary School Principal.
Bob is currently a full-time Professor in the Education Department at Centenary College, Hackettstown, New Jersey. He is a trained mentor for new Administrators through the New Jersey Principal’s and Supervisor’s Association. Most recently he served as the President of the Morris County Association of Elementary and Middle School Principal’s. He is still involved with the Morris County Ice Hockey High School League and the Morris County Wrestling Tournament. Bob and his wife Carol reside in Succasunna, New Jersey and have two grown daughters and one son.
Professor Cavo is the contact person for all Graduate program issues and for the Internship program.
New Jersey Certifications include:
- N.J Teacher of Health and Physical Education K-12
- N.J. Supervisor K-12
- N.J. Principal K-12
- Dr. Eric Nixon
Dr. Eric Nixon
Assistant Professor of Education.
Assistant Professor Eric Nixon graduated from William Paterson College and received a Bachelor of Arts in History Education. He began his graduate work at Montclair State College and earned a Master of Arts in Educational Psychology, as well as, a Master of Arts in Administration and Supervision. Dr. Nixon continued his graduate work at Seton Hall University and earned an Ed. D. in Administration and Supervision. His dissertation was titled Validation Study of Hodson’s “Competencies for the Special Education Director Questionnaire”.
Dr. Nixon also earned New Jersey State Department of Education certificates as Teacher of Social Studies, Teacher of the Handicapped, Teacher of Psychology, Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant, Principal/Supervisor, School Business Administrator, Assistant Superintendent in Charge of Business, and School Administrator.
Dr. Nixon taught adjudicated delinquent adolescents for three-and-a-half years, worked for seven years as a Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant on the Hackettstown, New Jersey public school district’s child study team, and for twenty years was a Director of Special Services in the Garfield and Rockaway Township, New Jersey public school districts.
Since April 2003 Dr. Nixon has served as a special education due process panel member for the Delaware Department of Education.
Dr. Nixon joined the Centenary College faculty in September 2007. He has taught courses at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, including Current Issues and Trends in Special Education, Psychology of High and Low Incidence Exceptionalities, and Assistive Technology.
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