New Hillsborough School Business Administrator Chosen Amid Criminal Probe

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — No stranger to the Hillsborough Township School District Gerald Eckert was unanimously appointed as the new Business Administrator/Board Secretary by the Board of Education at the Monday night meeting.

Eckert previously served as Assistant Business Administrator in Hillsborough from 2008 through 2014 before serving with the Randolph Public Schools as Business Administrator/Board Secretary.

"Mr. Eckert brings to HTPS a keen sense of expertise in the areas of compliance and best practices in budgeting. His unique expertise and highly professional demeanor will serve the district well, stated Acting Superintendent Dr. Kim Feltre.

The Hillsborough BOE had previously appointed Paul Roth as the new interim business administrator effective Tuesday, Jan. 11. Eckert will take over on May 1.

This new appointment follows an ongoing criminal investigation into the school district's finances by the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office and the Hillsborough Police.

On Dec. 20, 2021, School Business Administrator Aiman Mahmoud abruptly resigned. Mahmoud had served as School Business Administrator/Board Secretary at the Central Office in Hillsborough since Jan. 21, 2008.

At the same special meeting, the school board also voted to place a Central Office administrative staff member on leave.

On Dec. 22, 2021, School Superintendent Dr. Lisa Antunes stepped down for "a short leave of absence, effective immediately." In her place, Assistant schools superintendent Dr. Kim Feltre is now acting superintendent until Antunes returns.

On Jan. 3, 2022 assistant business administrator Luisa Rodriguez resigns effective Jan. 14. Additionally, the board also voted for change within itself. The board elected Marini president and John Oliver vice-president.

At the same Jan. 24 meeting, the board also took action to fill other temporary administrative vacancies. Dr. Tammy Jenkins, Principal of Sunnymead School was appointed Acting Director for Curriculum and Instruction.

Jenkins has served as Principal since 2004 and in 2017 was named National Distinguished Principal of the Year by the National Association of School Principals and Visionary Principal of the Year by the New Jersey Principal and Supervisors Association.

While Jenkins serves in the Acting Director role, Dr. Steven Jablonski will be serving as Acting Principal of the Sunnymead School. Jablonski has been a respected Vice Principal at Hillsborough High School since 2011 and has previously served as Interim Principal of Woods Road School.

"We are grateful to have such a highly dedicated administrative team to fill these voids and we will work together to continue to ensure the best possible education for our students” noted Michael Callahan, Director of Human Resources.

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