Superintendent

About Dunellen Public Schools

Dunellen Public Schools is a small, proud, and deeply community-rooted district in Dunellen Borough, Middlesex County, New Jersey, serving students across three school buildings: elementary, middle, and high school.  The district is home to a diverse student population and dedicated staff, including many long-tenured educators who built their careers in service to the Dunellen community.

Known for its close-knit character, strong sense of camaraderie, and commitment to every child, Dunellen Public Schools is at an important inflection point, ready for inspired, transparent, and community-centered leadership that will help the district reach its full potential.

The Opportunity

Dunellen Public Schools is conducting a search for a visible, community-centered, empathetic, and experienced Superintendent to lead the district into its next chapter. The Superintendent serves as the chief executive officer of the district, providing leadership across all academic, operational, financial, and community dimensions. This is a rare opportunity to serve a community that is deeply invested in its schools and ready to welcome a leader who will listen, build trust, and stay for the long term.

The Ideal Candidate

The district’s next Superintendent must be someone who leads with empathy and humility, listens before acting, and inspires confidence through presence, honesty, and follow-through.

The Dunellen community seeks a leader who will immerse themselves in the district’s unique culture: spending time in every building, attending community events, and building genuine relationships with students, staff, and families.

Most importantly, the community seeks a Superintendent who will choose Dunellen as a destination, not a stepping-stone: someone committed to long-term, sustained investment in the district’s people and potential.

Qualifications

Required:

●     Advanced degree in education, educational leadership, or a related field (Ed.D. or equivalent preferred)

●     Minimum of five years of experience in educational leadership, including building-level (principal) and/or comparable district-level experience

●     Demonstrated background as a classroom teacher with direct instructional experience

●     Track record of building and sustaining a positive, collaborative school and district culture

●     Proven ability to communicate transparently and build trust across diverse stakeholder groups, including staff, families, and the broader community

●     Experience managing district budgets, staffing, and organizational operations

●     Strong understanding of Special Education law, ESL/MLL student needs, and equitable practices in a diverse district

Preferred:

●     Experience as a building principal at multiple grade levels (elementary, middle, and/or high school), including familiarity with New Jersey school law, QSAC, Title I, and state compliance requirements

●     Background in academic program development, including curriculum alignment and instructional coaching

●     Experience working in a smaller, community-embedded school district

●     Bilingual or multilingual capability is a plus, given Dunellen’s diverse community

Key Responsibilities

●     Set, execute, and communicate a compelling, data-informed strategic vision for Dunellen Public Schools in partnership with the Board of Education, staff, and community

●     Recruit, retain, lead, mentor, and support a dedicated team of educators, administrators, and support staff across all three buildings

●     Champion academic excellence, instructional quality, and student-centered outcomes at every grade level, including Special Education, MTSS/I&RS, ESL/MLL, advanced learners, and extracurricular opportunities

●     Build and sustain meaningful, trust-based relationships with students, families, staff, the union, and the broader Dunellen Borough community

●     Review existing and develop, where needed new, meaningful discipline and student safety programs and procedures, and oversee effective implementation of those programs and procedures

●     Manage the district’s fiscal health and operational systems with full transparency and accountability to the Board and community

●     Represent Dunellen Public Schools to the Board of Education, the New Jersey Department of Education, partner organizations, and public stakeholders

●     Cultivate a district culture rooted in communication, respect, collaboration, high expectations, and genuine care for every student and staff member

●     Restore and deepen trust between administration, staff, families, and the community through visibility, and open, honest, and consistent communication

Compensation

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience, in accordance with the district’s compensation framework, and likely will range from $200,000 to $235,000, depending on qualifications. A comprehensive benefits package is included.

How to Apply

This search is being conducted by the Comegno Education Institute, Inc.  Interested candidates should submit the following materials to Search@ComegnoEducation.com:

●     Letter of interest addressing your vision for Dunellen Public Schools and alignment with the district’s mission and community

●     Current resume or Curriculum Vitae

●     Copies of Educational Certificates and New Jersey certification(s)

●     Three professional references with contact information

●     Any other supporting materials that reflect your leadership experience

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, commencing immediately.

For additional information about Dunellen Public Schools, please visit www.dunellenschools.org.

Dunellen Public Schools is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion.