New Superintendent Appointed To Lead Hillsborough Schools

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — Former Hillsborough educator and township resident, Michael Volpe, has returned home to the township as the new Superintendent.

The Hillsborough Board of Education voted on Tuesday night during a special meeting to appoint Volpe as the Hillsborough Township Public School Superintendent.

Volpe's contract will take effect on Feb 1, 2023 and continue through June 30, 2027 with a beginning salary of $235,000 that will be prorated.

He will then receive a two percent annual increase each year through June 30, 2027. The salary breakdown includes:

• 2024 - $239,700
• 2025 - $244,494
• 2026 - $249,384
• 2027 - $254,372

Volpe has been a resident of the township since 1999 and a parent with four kids in the district over the past 21 years. He has served as a volunteer coach in town for soccer, wrestling, or baseball. He also spent 13 and a half years or "the best time in my career" serving as principal and director of human resources in the district.

"I am one of you and with all that still said I still owe this district. It is one of the main reasons I am coming back," said Volpe on Tuesday night during the meeting.

Volpe noted he will work to make sure that "everyone feels like they belong and that includes staff members."

Additionally, he noted the district's challenges with staffing.

"I will also ask are my decisions making the job better for staff? If we make the experience better for the staff, we will make the experience better for students," said Volpe.

Volpe had previously served as Superintendent of the Moorestown School District and news of his departure of the district was shared by Moorestown Board of Education President Mick Weeks in a letter to the community last month.

Volpe had been serving as Superintendent at Moorestown School District since January. He previously served as Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources at Princeton Public Schools before leaving at the end of December 2021.

A Superintendent search began in Hillsborough when the position become open in May when Acting Superintendent after Dr. Lisa Antunes resigned after being on a paid leave of absence for the past four months. Read More: Hillsborough Superintendent Resigns, School Finances Probe Continues

Antunes abruptly announced her leave of absence on Dec. 22, 2021. This was the same time the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office and the Hillsborough Police began investigating the school district's finances. Business Administrator Aiman Mahmoud also abruptly resigned on Dec. 20, 2021. Read More: Prosecutor Investigates Hillsborough School Finances: Report

The police investigation into the school's finances is ongoing.

Dr. Kim Felte had been serving as Acting Superintendent since Antunes' departure until Aug. 22 when Dr. Daniel Fishbein was hired by the Board at the Aug. 22 meeting with a salary of $227,500. His contract will continue through June 30, 2023. Read More: New Interim Superintendent Hired To Head Hillsborough Schools

Watch Volpe's full remarks below (beginning at 1:11:15):

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