•  NJASA NJERF

    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   

      

    DR. SCOTT R. ROCCO NAMED 2022 SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR

     

    The 2022 New Jersey Superintendent of the Year Dr. Scott R. Rocco is available to comment on

    Education-Related Issues.

     

    Trenton, New Jersey, November 1, 2021 ... Dr. Scott R. Rocco, Chief Education Officer, Hamilton Township School District, Mercer County, was selected as New Jersey's 2022 Superintendent of the Year by the New Jersey Association of School Administrators (NJASA), and is a candidate for the National Superintendent of the Year Award by the American Association of School Administrators' (AASA). He will be formally acknowledged by the New Jersey State Board of Education at their Annual Recognition Ceremony on December 1st.

    In September, NJASA selected Dr. Rocco as the Region II Superintendent of the Year for New Jersey. The other honorees included the Region I recipient – Patricia Blood, Chief Education Officer, Kearny School District; and Region III recipient – Dr. Brian B. Brotschul, Chief Education Officer, Delran Township Public Schools. The three Regional Superintendents of the Year were introduced to New Jersey residents and the educational community on Oct 27th via the NJASA website.

    AASA will honor each state representative and select a National Superintendent of the Year at their National Conference on Education in February 2022 in Nashville, TN. This prestigious program, now in its 35th year, is sponsored by First Student, AIG Retirement Services and AASA.

    NJASA Executive Director Dr. Richard G. Bozza said, "Scott exemplifies the best a chief education officer can be. He is a dedicated hard-working professional who continually strives to improve the quality of education for all students."

    In accepting this prestigious honor, Dr. Rocco said, "This recognition confirms my belief in public education and most especially for educators, and students. I am honored and humbled that my peers recognize my ardent advocacy for public education. As the chief education officer, I am dedicated to positively, and productively, engaging educators in dialogue that improves student learning, enhances instruction, and creates effective learning environments for all who attend and work in New Jersey schools and beyond.”

    The 2022 New Jersey Superintendent of the Year continued, “I thank NJASA, the Hamilton Township Board of Education, our administrators, faculty and staff who work so hard in our schools each day, our students and their families, and our school community stakeholders for their support. I am proud and honored to represent Hamilton Township School District and New Jersey’s chief education officers.”

    Under Dr. Rocco’s leadership, the Hamilton Township School District, a diverse school community with approximately 11,600 students attending 23 schools and 1 alternative program, and approximately 41% participation in the free and reduced lunch programs, has:

    • Addressed the learning and opportunity gaps related to student demographics and socioeconomic status through a variety of instructional programs and academic resources;

    • Initiated and completed data analysis for the district to establish instructional and curricular improvements for all students;

    • Increased enrollment in AP courses and exam participation; 

    • Increased the number of AP courses offered;

    • Spearheaded the successful passage of a $55.4 million facilities referendum;

    • Implemented a multi-year high school media center modernization project; and

    • Implemented a Pop-Up School House model across the district to re-engage students, families, and the community in schools during COVID-19. 


    The 2022 New Jersey Superintendent of the Year has dedicated 28 years to public education. He was appointed the Chief Education Officer of the Hamilton Township School District in 2017. Previously, he served as the Chief Education Officer of Spotswood Public Schools.     

    Dr. Rocco entered the field of education as a middle and high school social studies teacher. He advanced from the classroom to administration with a promotion to middle school vice principal, which led to becoming an elementary school principal and eventually into central office as an assistant superintendent in the Hillsborough Public Schools.

    Currently, 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. Additionally, he has co-chaired several NJASA Committees including the Spring Leadership Conference and Membership Committees. 

    The 2022 Superintendent of the Year also takes time to serve in other educational organizations, including the New Jersey Council of Education and most recently in AASA as a member of the Governing Board. He gives back to his community as a member of the Mercer County Overdose Fatality Review Team; he also sits on several doctoral dissertation committees. For his dedication to education and to the community, Dr. Rocco has received the 2021 New Jersey PTA Outstanding Educator Award-Superintendent of the Year and the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Support of Law Enforcement Recognition Award. 

    As a firm believer in the importance of life-long learning, Dr. Rocco has provided keynote addresses, as well as conference and group presentations. He speaks on a variety of educational topics including the use of social media for educators, school safety, marketing yourself, and how to collaborate among different generations. Dr. Rocco is the co-author of 140 Twitter Tips for Educators and Hacking Google. He is also one of three co-creators of #satchat, a positive and engaging Twitter chat held every Saturday morning since 2012.

    He earned his Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Seton Hall University. He received his Master’s in Educational Administration from The College of New Jersey and earned his Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies Secondary Education from The College of New Jersey.
     

    AASA will announce the National Superintendent of the Year at its Annual 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.