Chester Superintendent Selected As Superintendent Of The Year

CHESTER, NJ — Morris County’s Association of School Administrators has chosen Christina Van Woert, Ed.D., of Chester’s School District as 2021 Morris County Superintendent of the Year.

Van Woert’s career in education has spanned more than three decades, long before she became a superintendent, first as an elementary school teacher and then as a principal in both the elementary and middle school levels for nine years.

She is a Morris County resident and lives in the county with her husband and two children.

Van Woert earned a B.A. in English at Siena College, her M.A.T. from Fairleigh Dickinson University and both her M.Ed. and Ed.D. From Columbia University.

For five years while at Columbia, Van Woert worked as the assistant at the annual Superintendent’s Work Conference to then New York State Commissioner of Education, Thomas Sobol.

She has additionally taught Master’s level courses at Drew University and has created graduate school programs for Monmouth University.

Van Woert has served on the Rutgers University School Development Council’s Executive Board, with the Seton Hall Superintendents Study Council and on Drew University’s Advisory Council for Teacher Education.

She is presently on both the New Jersey Association of School Administrators Legislative Committee and New Jersey Department of Education Central New Jersey Leadership Committee for Long Term Issues. She was additionally a past president of the Morris County Association of School Administrators.

While she has been superintendent with the Chester School District, the National Forum for Middle School Education has recognized Black River Middle School as a “School to Watch” four times, with the school given a grant to offer the Unified Sports Program and become a Special Olympics Unified Champion School.

The New Jersey Alliance for Social, Emotional and Character Development has recognized Dickerson School as an “Emerging School of Character," under her watch.

New Jersey’s Department of Education has also designated the middle school a “Reward School;” and all three schools within the district “Future Ready, Stigma Free and Sustainable NJ Schools.”

“The Chester School District has been featured as the only school in North America in a Google Classroom ad campaign and is widely regarded as a leader in educational technology; and one of the few public schools with a dedicated K-8 STEM program,” according to a press release about Van Woert’s Superintendent of the Year designation.

“Dr. Van Woert displays tremendous character, thoughtfulness and integrity in every decision, as evidenced in her constant communication with her school community and the successful initiatives throughout her time in the Chester School District and in particular during these challenging times,” said Mitzi Morillo, Ed.D., who is superintendent of the Mendham Borough School District and 2020 MCASA Superintendent of the Year.

“Grounded in her leadership style of quiet confidence and collaboration, she is highly influential among her peers,” Morillo continued. “Dr. Van Woert is an exemplary professional and the recognition as Morris County Superintendent of the Year is well deserved.”

“It was thrilling to hear that Dr. Van Woert was being honored as Morris County Superintendent of the Year,” said Mike Tomasco, president of the Chester Board of Education. “For those of us who have the privilege of working closely with Dr. Van Woert, we know just how much she truly deserves this honor.”

“We are very happy for her to have been recognized for her outstanding commitment to the families of Chester,” Tomasco said.

Questions or comments about this story? Contact me at: jennifer.miller@patch.com.