WOODBRIDGE, NJ—A Township Councilman is now serving as the county’s Superintendent of Schools on an interim basis after an appointment by Governor Phil Murphy.
Kyle Anderson, one of four Woodbridge Council members elected in Township-wide “at-large” elections, started the new $120,000 per year job as of May 29.
That salary comes in addition to his $12,000 annual pay for serving in the elected local office, which he has held since 2011.
In an exclusive interview, Anderson told New Brunswick Today he hopes to “provide better customer service to our [school] districts and… build better relationships so we can better serve our students.”
Anderson said he started his work by meeting with the local Superintendents of the 26 school districts in Middlesex County and touring some of the schools and also noted that the county is home to “a few charter schools.”
Asked what changes the New Brunswick school community might notice under his tenure, he said he’s hoping “to provide more professional development for the faculty at all of the schools.”
“We realize that there are a ton of programs, but you may have trouble finding those certified personnel to lead those programs,” said Anderson.
“The mission from Trenton is to make sure that we get as much professional development out to our faculty and to those districts so that they can maintain and also add to those programs that they already presently have.”
Unlike other gubernatorial appointments, Murphy was able to name Anderson to the position, officiallly known as the “Interim Executive County Superintendent of Schools,” without the advice or consent of the State Senate.
The position falls under the the NJ Department of Education’s Office of Fiscal Accountability & Compliance (OFAC).
According to Anderson’s LinkedIn page, he graduated from the College of New Jersey and had previously worked as an “Executive Sales Manager” for the Linden-based Accu Reference Medical Lab since September 2011.
The page touts Anderson as an “experienced, visionary Area Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the biotechnology industry.”
Anderson took over the superintendent position from Yasmin E. Hernandez-Manno, who had previously been serving in the role for both Middlesex and Mercer Counties. Hernandez-Manno continues to serve as the Mercer County Superintendent.
His appointment also came as the county office was relocated to Kennedy Boulevard in East Brunswick from its previous location on Livingston Avenue in North Brunswick.
Editor’s Note: The author of this article is a current candidate for Mayor of New Brunswick in the November 6, 2018 election.
Charlie is the founder and editor of New Brunswick Today, and the winner of the Awbrey Award for Community-Oriented Local Journalism. He is a proud Rutgers University journalism graduate, a community organizer, and a former independent candidate for mayor of New Brunswick.
