OLD BRIDGE – The township’s longtime schools chief is leaving for Passaic County.
Old Bridge Superintendent of Schools David Cittadino will depart after this school year to become the next superintendent in Wayne.
Cittadino was appointed by the Wayne school board at a special public meeting Wednesday night. He will succeed Superintendent Mark Toback who is retiring on Aug. 1.
Wayne approved a four-year contract with Cittadino, ending in June 2029, details of which were not immediately available. Thirty-two people applied for the position and Cittadino was among the final five candidates interviewed.
In a video message announcing his departure, Cittadino said that serving “this remarkable community for the past 20 years has been the greatest honor of my professional life” and offered thanks for “overwhelming support, trust, and partnership”
“We’ve built a school system that fosters independent, lifelong learners and developed an educational product that stands well above where we began,” he said. “These accomplishments are not mine alone but are the result of our shared commitment to excellence and the unwavering dedication of an incredible staff."
Cittadino, whose accolades include being named NJPTA State Outstanding Superintendent of the Year in 2024 and Middlesex County Superintendent of the Year in 2020, had expressed his desire to remain in Old Bridge.
The Old Bridge Board of Education, which saw a recent transition in its membership, offered him just a one-year contract extension. Recent school board meetings saw a swell of support for him to remain in the township.
Cittadino, currently the Middlesex County Association of School Administrators’ president, began his career in education in Elizabeth schools in 1997 and has spent most of his time in Old Bridge, where he’s been superintendent since 2013.
During his tenure, Old Bridge implemented a full-day kindergarten program and navigated years of declining state aid, which he went to Trenton to push for equity.
Wayne’s student population of about 8,000 is similar in size to Old Bridge.
"Be well, be kind, believe in OB," Cittadino said.
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Cheryl Makin is an award-winning feature, news and education reporter forMyCentralJersey.com, part of the USA Today Network. Contact: [email protected] or@CherylMakin. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.