The Hamilton Township Board of Education unanimously voted at its Sept. 23 meeting to extend the contract of superintendent Scott Rocco by five years.
Rocco’s contract was set to expire June 31, 2021.
He started as superintendent in Hamilton on May 8, 2017, and has helped transform the school district. He oversaw the successful passage of a referendum within his first six months on the job, gaining voter approval on a $55.4-million package of repairs and upgrades at each of the district’s 24 schools. Under his administration, the district has enhanced its social media presence, has hosted more frequent community events—such as this fall’s Pop-Up School House days—and tackled issues like chronic absenteeism. The district recently achieved one-to-one status, meaning schools have one internet-ready device for every student. There are 12,000 students in the Hamilton Township School District.
Prior to hiring Rocco, the district dealt with years of instability in the superintendent position. After Neil Bencivengo retired in 2011, Hamilton sandwiched two extended periods with interim superintendents around the tenure of full-time hire James Parla. Parla lasted less than three years in the job, leaving his position in 2015.
A Hamilton resident, Rocco has worked in education for 26 years. He started in the Hillsborough School District as a teacher and administrator. Rocco came to Hamilton from Spotswood, where he served as superintendent of schools from January 2013 until May 2017.
Rocco has also taught at The College of New Jersey—his alma mater—for nearly two decades. He holds a bachelor’s in secondary education and a master’s in educational administration from TCNJ. He earned his doctorate in educational leadership, management and policy from Seton Hall University in 2014.
Rocco currently makes $199,500 per year, in line with superintendents of similar districts in New Jersey—such as Toms River ($203,000), Woodbridge ($204,526) and Edison ($196,584).
