By MADDY VITALE
After a search that took almost two years, the Ocean City Board of Education hired an educator and administrator Thursday night with nearly 30 years of experience as the new school superintendent.
Christian Angelillo, of Beach Haven in Ocean County, last served as superintendent of the Boonton Township School District in Morris County. He was given a five-year contract in Ocean City and will start his new job in June.
After the school board unanimously approved Angelillo’s hiring, he addressed the board and the audience.
“I want to thank the board for the confidence and trust that you have in me to lead this wonderful district and community,” Angelillo told the board and audience. “I can’t tell you how much I am looking forward to getting boots on the ground, getting to know all of you, appreciating and understanding what’s important to all of you. I truly am looking forward to getting started.”
Just prior to the vote to hire Angelillo, Board of Education President Kevin Barnes spoke of the hard work it took to find the right person to lead the nearly 2,000-student district.
“We had a very aggressive goal and it required an awful lot of decisive activity,” Barnes said of the March 14 goal set by Interim School Superintendent Terrence Crowley to hire a permanent superintendent.
“There were an awful lot of stakeholders over the course of almost two years now,” Barnes said. “The input was invaluable. The (search) committee itself, I’ll never be able to fully express my appreciation for your commitment and, of course, with the full board being with us all the way. It is wonderful to have a full vote on this without any dissention.”
Angelillo, who has a doctorate of education, comes to the district with 29 years of experience in education on various levels.
He has worked as a social studies teacher, assistant principal, principal at both elementary and high school levels and superintendent in New Jersey. His latest roles include being the superintendent and principal at Boonton Township School District, and an adjunct professor at Centenary University in Hackettstown, according to a school news release.
In addition, he has also spent his career involved in coaching. He has been head varsity track and field coach, head freshman football coach and a varsity football coach.
Angelillo emphasized that he is looking forward to working with the school district to continue the success of students and staff and build strong relationships with the school community and broader community.
“I look forward to becoming a part of the fabric of the Ocean City community and forging lasting relationships that will help remind us to celebrate our past accomplishments, while working together to achieve future successes that will make us all proud,” Angelillo said.
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 have been three superintendent searches over roughly three years.
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 to become superintendent of the Quakertown Community School District in Bucks County, Pa. Retired longtime educator Dr. Scott McCartney, of Egg Harbor Township, stepped in and served from June through Dec. 31.
Crowley stepped in to replace McCartney and will serve as interim superintendent until Angelillo begins in June.
Crowley remarked about Angelillo’s hiring.
“The superintendent search generated over fifty applicants. With this large pool of interested educators, the board had the opportunity to review and eventually interview several finalists for the position,” Crowley said in the news release. “Dr. Angelillo presented himself as an experienced and qualified individual who would contribute to and lead the Ocean City School District as it provides an outstanding education for our students. He will bring to the district a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm.”
Angelillo is involved with multiple professional affiliations such as the New Jersey Association of School Administrators and the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association.
He earned his doctorate in K-12 Administration from Seton Hall University, a Master of Arts in Educational Administration and Supervision from Montclair State University and a Bachelor of Arts in History and a minor in Philosophy from Fordham University.
Angelillo and his wife, Carol, have a son, Joseph, and a daughter, Jenna, both of whom attend college.
When not at work, Angelillo is an avid reader and fisherman who enjoys spending time with his family. He is a college football enthusiast and a devoted New Jersey Devils fan.
For more information about the Ocean City School District visit oceancityschools.org.
