Bernardsville Lacrosse Coach, Educator Of The Year Named Somerset Hills Athletics Supervisor

BERNARDSVILLE, NJ - The Somerset Hills School District has appointed Jessica McGinn as its next Supervisor of Athletics, Health, and Physical Education, effective July 1. The Board of Education approved the hire at its May 20 meeting.

McGinn brings more than two decades of experience in physical education and athletic administration to the role. She began her career in 2001 as a health and physical education teacher in the Morris School District before joining Somerset Hills, where she spent years teaching at Bernardsville Middle School. During that time she served on the BMS School Safety Team and the Climate and Culture Committee, organized school-wide events and team-building activities, and in 2021 received the Educator of the Year award, nominated by colleagues, students, and parents.

After leaving the classroom, McGinn held director and supervisor roles in Morris County athletics programs, overseeing coaching staffs, managing budgets, and supervising health and PE teachers. She also served as BHS Varsity Girls Lacrosse Coach for 14 years, compiling more than 200 wins and leading her teams to three State Sectional titles and one State Championship. She was named New Jersey Coach of the Year in 2014.

"Returning to the Somerset Hills School District feels like coming home," McGinn said. "Some of my fondest memories of my professional career happened right on Olcott Field. Mike Hoppe has led Bernards Athletics through decades of excellence, and I am grateful for the opportunity to carry on his legacy."

The district said McGinn's strengths align closely with the role, noting her "strong commitment to building character-driven student-athletes and a positive atmosphere of teamwork and stellar sportsmanship." McGinn holds a bachelor's degree in sports management from Rutgers University, where she was a Division I athlete, and a master's in educational leadership from the College of Saint Elizabeth.

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