Ocean City Superintendent of Schools Christian Angelillo is retiring in July 2026.
Ocean City Superintendent of Schools Christian Angelillo will retire at the end of the school year in July, prompting yet another search for a new leader to oversee the district’s three public schools and 1,700 students.
Angelillo, who has led the district since 2024, told the Board of Education during a meeting Thursday night that he is retiring for personal reasons. He did not elaborate on the reasons in a statement released by the school district.
“I am proud to serve the Ocean City School District and the families of this wonderful community,” Angelillo said in the statement. “Leading a district is never an individual effort; it’s a team effort. I am incredibly grateful for the support of our Board of Education, board office staff, administrators, teachers, staff, students and parents. All of them contribute to our success.”
The school board will immediately begin a search for the next superintendent. Information about the search process will be shared through district and community communication channels, the statement said.
After a superintendent search that took almost two years, the board hired Angelillo in 2024 and awarded him a five-year contract at a starting salary of $210,000. He will leave three years earlier than the expiration of his contract.
“Dr. Angelillo is a great fit for the high standards and community spirit that define the Ocean City School District,” Board of Education President Kevin Barnes said. “He will be missed, but we wish him the best in his next chapter and thank him for his significant contributions.”
The district has not had a long-term leader since former Superintendent Kathleen Taylor retired in August 2021 after 15 years of service. Since then, there has been a series of superintendent searches.
After Taylor, interim Superintendent Tom Baruffi filled the void until the district hired Matthew Friedman as superintendent in June 2022. Friedman resigned at the end of March 2023 to become superintendent of the Quakertown Community School District in Bucks County, Pa.
Retired longtime educator Scott McCartney, of Egg Harbor Township, stepped in and served as interim superintendent from June through Dec. 31, 2023.
Another interim superintendent, Terry Crowley Sr., the father of City Council President Terry Crowley Jr., stepped in to replace McCartney and served the district in 2024 until Angelillo’s hiring.
Superintendent of Schools Christian Angelillo reads to students in a photo provided by the Ocean City school district.Angelillo, 53, came to Ocean City with nearly 30 years of experience as a teacher, administrator and superintendent in his education career. He last served as superintendent of the Boonton Township School District in Morris County.
Among his accomplishments, Angelillo prioritized better communication between the district and local families and spearheaded the launch of a seasonal district-wide newsletter.
Over the next few months, Angelillo will continue to work on his goals, which include creating an e-bike safety program for students in collaboration with the Ocean City Police Department, according to the district statement.
The district has partnered with the police department throughout the school year on pedestrian and bicyclist education safety initiatives. Angelillo collaborated to develop a required safety course for e-bike riders that Ocean City police officers will help to implement this spring.
The public school district includes Ocean City High School, the Ocean City Intermediate School and the Ocean Primary School. At the start of the 2025-2026 school year, total enrollment for all three schools was about 1,700 students.
Ocean City serves students from Ocean City and operates a sending/receiving relationship for students from the nearby communities of Sea Isle City, Upper Township, Longport and Corbin City.
