920 West State Street • Trenton, New Jersey 08618-5328

609.599.2900 / Fax: 609.599.9359 website: http://www.njasa.net

Press Release

Contact Anne H. Gallagher

NJASA Director of Communications

609-599-2900, ext. 126

agallagher@njasa.net   

NJASA Names Three Regional Superintendents of the Year

Region I Patricia Blood Kearny School District	Region II Dr. Scott R. Rocco Hamilton Township School District Mercer County	Region III Dr. Brian B. Brotschul Delran Township Public Schools

The 2022 NJASA Regional Superintendents of the Year Are Available to Comment on

Education-Related Issues.

Trenton, NJ September 28, 2021…… The New Jersey Association of School Administrators (NJASA) has selected three regional 2022 Superintendents of the Year. They are: Region I recipient – Patricia Blood, Chief Education Officer, Kearny School District; Region II recipient –Dr. Scott R. Rocco, Chief Education Officer, Hamilton Township School District, Mercer County; and Region III recipient – Dr. Brian B. Brotschul, Chief Education Officer, Delran Township Public Schools. 

The three Regional Superintendents of the Year will be introduced to New Jersey residents and the educational community in late October via the NJASA YouTube site. Association Executive Director Dr. Richard G. Bozza said, "These three remarkable chief education officers provide vision, imagination, and compassion for the students, staff and communities they serve. On behalf of NJASA, it is a privilege to acknowledge and congratulate New Jersey’s 2022 three regional superintendents."

Region I recipient Patricia Blood, an educator for 34 years, has been at the helm of the Kearny School District since 2014. She notes, "Meeting the needs of our students, their families, faculty, and staff, is always a priority, but never more so than during the current pandemic. One of our district initiatives during the 2020-2021 school year was social emotional learning. In response to the increasing need for emotional support by all constituents, Kearny launched a Virtual Calming Room." Accessible from the District’s website, the room includes resources for children and families. Currently, she serves as the Hudson County Representative to the NJASA Executive Committee.

Region II recipient Dr. Scott Rocco, a staunch advocate for public education, educators, and students, models appropriate and positive use of social media and a variety of other communication methods to productively engage educators and parents, and to improve student learning, enhance instruction and create effective learning environments for all who attend and work in schools. Dr. Rocco joined the Hamilton Township School District as the chief education officer in 2017. Prior to his service in the Hamilton Township School District, he served as the chief education officer of the Spotswood Public Schools. Dr. Rocco is a NJASA Past President and co-chair of the NJASA Techspo Conference. He has served as NJASA Treasurer, Secretary and President-Elect. 

With the support of the school board, Region III recipient Dr. Brian B. Brotschul was instrumental in spearheading the district’s introduction to the New Jersey Labor Management Collaborative. He said, "Our work together, our student achievement, the climate survey results and quantitative research regarding the manner in which we collaborate supports the culture that has been developed and supported through all levels of the organization around one belief - collaborative and servant leadership is a predictor of student outcomes." After more than 20 years in public education, he was appointed Chief Education Officer of the Delran Township Public Schools in 2014. Dr. Brotschul is one of the Burlington County Representatives to the NJASA Executive Committee. 

The next step in the process for the three regional recipients will be the selection of a New Jersey candidate to participate in the AASA National Superintendent of the Year Award. A committee of NJASA Past Presidents and former Regional Superintendents of the Year will select the 2022 New Jersey Superintendent of the Year. Now in its 35^th year, the National Superintendent of the Year® Program pays tribute to the talent and vision of the men and women who lead our nation's public schools. This program is sponsored by First Student, AIG Retirement Services and AASA.

The selection qualifications for the State and National Superintendent of the Year include: meeting the needs of their students, demonstrated communication strength, a commitment to professional development and growth, and significant community involvement.

AASA will announce the National Superintendent of the Year at its Conference on Education in February 2022.

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About NJASA:
The New Jersey Association of School Administrators is an organization of chief education officers and school administrators who lead school districts in New Jersey’s 21 counties. The Association’s mission is to ensure a superior statewide system of education. Through ongoing professional training and education, the Association shares knowledge among its members about best practices from both educational and administrative perspectives. Its goal is to move education forward by ensuring the highest quality of instruction for all New Jersey children. The Association is located at 920 West State Street, Trenton, New Jersey 08618-5328. For more information -- PH: 609.599.2900 / Fax: 609.599.9359 / website: www.njasa.net.
 

Education Brief Videos

Due to the complexity of educational topics, NJASA has released a series of videos to help parents and taxpayers better understand the issues. Each video can be accessed on a special NJASA YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/TheNJASA or by clicking on the YouTube icon on the NJASA website, www.njasa.net.