Vernon Superintendent Of Schools Headed To Middletown

VERNON, CT — Vernon Superintendent of School Joseph Macary is headed to the Middletown Public School system.

Macary told Patch about his decision early Wednesday morning and then sent out a letter to the school community.

He cited a long commute over an 11-year period and the need to be closer to family as two reasons for the switch. He lives in Wolcott.

Hired in 2015, Macary holds the third-longest tenure as superintendent in Vernon history.

Macary's letter was filled with emotion:

"Dear Vernon Families,

"Hope you are all doing well.

"It is with a heavy heart that I write this e-mail. I have been offered the position of Superintendent of Schools for the City of Middletown and I have accepted it. Last night, I submitted my resignation to the Vernon Board of Education. I have spent the last 11 years of my professional career here in Vernon as Superintendent and I have enjoyed every minute of it. This is a great school district made up of people who truly care about students and their learning. The decision to leave was a personal one, to begin the next chapter of my professional career.

"My last day of work in Vernon is July 6, 2026. I am committed to ensuring a smooth transition and finishing off the school year strong. I will continue to work closely with the Board of Education and District Administrators to lead our schools towards educational excellence. Together, Students Learn, Achieve and Succeed and we have put Vernon “on the map” by doing "what is best for all students." This philosophy has driven the district towards high standards of teaching and learning for all students. With our District Strategic Plan, it will remain the focus for years to come… I am proud of the work we have accomplished together, and I look forward to great things from our students and schools. Thank you for your support and confidence you’ve had in me."

Under Macary's tenure, Vernon's "Alliance District" label was turned into a showcase school system, especially in terms of capital improvement. One example os a completely revamped Agricultural Science and Technology Education center at Rockville High School.

Another is a new outdoor athletic facility at RHS.

Test scores have reached new levels in Vernon during his tenure. Macary was named the 2024 Connecticut Superintendent of the Year by the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents. He has been recognized for his leadership, community involvement, and student performance improvements.

His salary in Vernon is $247,579.

Local officials released comments regarding Macary's departure.

Vernon Mayor Dan Champagne said, "Joe has done a great job for the Vernon Public Schools and for our kids. Across the board, our students are performing at a higher level."

Said Vernon Board of Education Chairman Paul Grabowski: "On behalf of the Vernon Board of Education, I would like to thank Dr. Macary for his outstanding work and dedication to Vernon Public Schools. Over his 11-year tenure in Vernon we have seen tremendous academic success, and we are grateful for the hard work he has put in on behalf of our students. Dr. Macary has put Vernon in a great position to continue our academic growth and take our schools to the next level. He has
helped create a culture of high academic expectations that is reflected throughout the student body and our excellent administrators, faculty, and staff. While we are sorry to
lose Dr. Macary, we are confident that the culture he helped create will continue to benefit students long into the future. We wish Dr. Macary the best of luck in Middletown and are grateful for the legacy he leaves in Vernon.”

Champagne said he is confident that trend will continue.

"The schools and town government also have a strong and cooperative relationship through Vernon's shared services system. Public works, information technology and
other core functions serve both the town and schools, reducing duplication of services and saving taxpayers millions of dollars over the years," he said. "I am sorry to see him go. We have had a great working relationship."\

The Vernon school board will begin the process of finding Macary's replacement as soon as possible.

A board statement said, "We expect to engage the community and find the perfect fit to continue Vernon's academic success and take our schools to the highest levels of academic achievement. Our administrators, faculty, and staff are truly exceptional, and we look forward to continuing our work together as Vernon Public Schools embarks on its next chapter of educational excellence and innovation.”

Macary is headed to a school system reeling from a administrative scandal. Alberto Vazquez Matos was terminated as the Middletown Public Schools superintendent in November following a drunken driving arrest DUI arrest in Florida and a contractual breach regarding a lapsed certification.

Police records indicate he had driver's licenses in both Connecticut and Florida and a body cam video of a cumbersome field sobriety test in Florida showed him wearing a Middletown High School athletics shirt.

A search commenced immediately after his firing.

A spokesman for the Middletown school district told Patch a statement about Macary's hiring would be distributed later on Wednesday.