The Middletown Township Public School District is a comprehensive community public school district that serves students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade from Middletown Township in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.About Our District, Middletown Township School District. Accessed January 13, 2026. "The Middletown Township Public School District is a comprehensive pre-kindergarten through Grade 12 learning community comprised of more than 9,000 students and 1,600 staff members situated throughout 16 schools."Middletown Township Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Middletown Township Public School District. Accessed January 25, 2024. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Kindergarten through twelve in the Middletown Township School District. Composition: The Middletown Township School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Middletown Township, including the Middletown section of Sandy Hook."
As of the 2023–24 school year, the district, comprised of 16 schools, had an enrollment of 8,895 students and 769.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.6:1.District information for Middletown Township Public School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 15, 2024.
History In 1948, the schools were racially integrated and all of the teachers were white. - CITED: p. 87.
The Middletown Township Education Association (MTEA) is the Middletown Township teachers' union. The organization is Middletown's local NEA, NJEA MCEA office.
The district received national attention in the fall of 2001 when its teachers and secretaries went on strike for the second time in three years. The strike disrupted classes from November 30 to December 7, 2001. 228 teachers and secretaries were jailed in alphabetical order for violating a court back-to-work order.Keller, Bess. "Bad Blood", Education Week, September 29, 2004. Accessed April 7, 2017. "Teachers here walked out on a Friday in late November 2001, and were back in the classroom just over a week later. In between, 228 members of the Middletown Township Education Association were jailed for their action, creating indelible pictures flashed worldwide of suburban teachers in handcuffs, one in a 'God Bless America' baseball cap raising the cuffs overhead to make a visible thumbs-up sign." After the strike, members of the MTEA successfully lobbied to change the state law to prohibit school boards from imposing a contract on their employees (signed into law July 10, 2003).
The union, with over 1,200 members, had elected Diane Swaim president in 1983, and re-elected her in May 2007. Swaim retired on January 1, 2008, and was replaced by the first vice president, Linda McLaughlin There has not been a strike since 2001. The union and board of education amicably settled the next contract (July 1, 2004 – June 30, 2007) in April 2004, months before the expiration of the old contract. The union and board reached a new contract settlement without acrimony for 2007–2010.
In October 2006, the board of education voted to implement a random drug testing procedure that would require all students in extracurricular activities or with a parking space at either high school to submit their name to a pool for random selection."Middletown school board OKs random drug testing: Some say plan would deter use", Asbury Park Press, October 24, 2006.
On May 31, 2022, following the mass shooting in Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, the school board unanimously voted to have a police officer in each school at the hourly rate of $50 until the end of the 2021–2022 school year. For the 2022–2023 school year, a Class III special law enforcement officer would be at every school in the district, at an hourly rate not to exceed $35.
The district had been classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group "GH", the third-highest of eight groupings. District Factor Groups organize districts statewide to allow comparison by common socioeconomic characteristics of the local districts. From lowest socioeconomic status to highest, the categories are A, B, CD, DE, FG, GH, I and J.District Factor Groups (DFG) for School Districts, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed December 1, 2024.
Schools The district consists of twelve K–5 elementary schools, three middle schools for grades 6–8, and two four-year high schools. Four elementary schools feed into each of the three middle schools. The facilities vary in age, architecture, size, and student population. Schools in the district (with 2023-24 enrollment data from the National Center for Education StatisticsSchool Data for the Middletown Township Public School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 15, 2024.) are:Schools, Middletown Township School District. Accessed January 13, 2026.County School List L-M, Monmouth County, New Jersey. Accessed January 25, 2024.School Performance Reports for the Middletown Township Public School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed September 1, 2025.New Jersey School Directory for the Middletown Township Public School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024. Elementary schools Bayview Elementary SchoolBayview Elementary School, Middletown Township Public School District, Accessed April 13, 2025. (with 367 students in grades K–5) Tara Raspanti, principal Fairview Elementary SchoolFairview Elementary School, Middletown Township Public School District, Accessed April 13, 2025. (296; PreK–5) Michael Melando, principal Harmony Elementary SchoolHarmony Elementary School, Middletown Township Public School District, Accessed April 13, 2025. (486; PreK–5) Erik Paulson, principal Leonardo Elementary SchoolLeonardo Elementary School, Middletown Township Public School District, Accessed April 13, 2025. (284; K–5) Peter Smith, principal Lincroft Elementary SchoolLincroft Elementary School, Middletown Township Public School District, Accessed April 13, 2025. (491; K–5) Brian Dorgan, principalprincipal's Page, Lincroft Elementary School. Accessed April 13, 2025. Middletown Village Elementary SchoolMiddletown Village Elementary School, Middletown Township Public School District, Accessed April 13, 2025. (439; K–5) David Whitman, principal Navesink Elementary SchoolNavesink Elementary School, Middletown Township Public School District, Accessed April 13, 2025. (209; K–5) Jesse Herbert, principal New Monmouth Elementary SchoolNew Monmouth Elementary School, Middletown Township Public School District, Accessed April 13, 2025. (510; PreK–5) Christopher Reginio, principal Nut Swamp Elementary SchoolNut Swamp Elementary School, Middletown Township Public School District, Accessed April 13, 2025. (465; K–5) Carey Albanese, principal Ocean Avenue Elementary SchoolOcean Avenue Elementary School, Middletown Township Public School District, Accessed April 13, 2025. (289; K–5) Neil Leone, principal River Plaza Elementary SchoolRiver Plaza Elementary School, Middletown Township Public School District, Accessed April 13, 2025. (267; K–5) Amanda Mergner, principalprincipal's Page, River Plaza Elementary School. Accessed April 13, 2025. Middle schools Bayshore Middle SchoolBayshore Middle School, Middletown Township Public School District, Accessed April 13, 2025. (534; 6–8) Todd Curtis, principal Thompson Middle SchoolThompson Middle School, Middletown Township Public School District, Accessed April 13, 2025. (859; 6–8) Brian Currie, principal Thorne Middle SchoolThorne Middle School, Middletown Township Public School District, Accessed April 13, 2025. (596; 6–8) Shannon Smith, principal High schools Middletown High School NorthMiddletown High School North, Middletown Township Public School District, Accessed April 13, 2025. (1,284; 9–12) Matthew Ferri, principal Middletown High School SouthMiddletown High School South, Middletown Township Public School District, Accessed April 13, 2025. (1,394; 9–12) Thomas J. Olausen, principal
Administration Core district administrators are:District Administrators 2025-2026, Middletown Township Public School District, Accessed January 13, 2026.Administration, Middletown Township Public School District, Accessed January 13, 2026.New Jersey School Directory for Monmouth County, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024. Kevin Cullen, interim superintendent Amy P. Doherty, business administrator and board secretaryBusiness Office, Middletown Township Public School District, Accessed January 13, 2026.
The district's last permanent superintendent, Jessica Alfone, retired in June 2026. Assistant Superintendent Kevin Cullen is serving as interim/acting superintendent until July 2027 when the new permanent superintendent is expected to start.
Board of education The district's board of education, composed of nine members, sets policy and oversees the fiscal and educational operation of the district through its administration. As a Type II school district, the board's trustees are elected directly by voters to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with three seats up for election each year held (since 2012) as part of the November general election. The board appoints a superintendent to oversee the district's day-to-day operations and a business administrator to supervise the business functions of the district.New Jersey Boards of Education by District Election Types - 2018 School Election, New Jersey Department of Education, updated February 16, 2018. Accessed January 26, 2020.Annual Comprehensive Financial Report of the Middletown Township School District, New Jersey Department of Education, for year ending June 30, 2024. Accessed January 13, 2026. "The School District is a Type II district located in the County of Monmouth, State of New Jersey. As a Type II district, the School District functions independently through a Board of Education. The Board is comprised of nine members appointed to three-year terms. These terms are staggered so that three members’ terms expire each year. The District provides a full range of educational services appropriate to grades levels K through 12. These include regular, vocational, as well as special education for handicapped students." See "Roster of Officials" on page 17.Board of Education Members, Middletown Township Public School District. Accessed January 13, 2026.
References
External links Middletown Township Public School District
School Data for the Middletown Township Public School District, National Center for Education Statistics Middletown Township Education Association