Kevin Cullen Chosen As New Middletown School Superintendent

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — At the Oct. 27 Middletown school board, the board voted to appoint Kevin Cullen as Middletown schools superintendent.

Until now, Cullen had been interim superintendent of Middletown schools.

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Cullen now has a five-year contract with the school district, which starts October 28 and runs through June 30, 2031. He will be paid an annual salary of $250,000, pro-rated for this year's 2026-2027 school year.

All the school board members present Tuesday evening voted to give Cullen the top job, except for Jacqueline Tobacco and Frank Capone. Tobacco said she could not vote as she was not involved in the superintendent search, and Capone was absent from Tuesday's meeting.

Many board members praised Cullen.

"I don't think I found an administrator in this district who loves Middletown schools more than you do," said school board member Deb Wright. "You just exude positivity every single day .. I really look forward to working with you."

Tobacco also enthusiastically praised him, saying that although she did not vote, she thinks "(Cullen) is the perfect person" for the job, and he "has her support."

Cullen used to be the assistant superintendent for curriculum; he became interim superintendent when Jessica Alfone quit the district this year, with still two years left in her five-year contract.

Alfone quit the Middletown school district after she tried, unsuccessfully, to lead the district through a process of closing and consolidating schools. She said she wanted to retire from public education, and took a job in the private sector.