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HAMMONTON—Hammonton High School principal Thomas Ramsay will take the next step in his professional life on July 1, when he became the new Superintendent of School for the Hammonton School District.
The Hammonton Board of Education voted unanimously at its April 25 meeting to appoint Ramey as its next superintendent, following a search assisted by the New Jersey School Boards Association. He replaces Robin Chieco, who is retiring effective June 30.
“It is quite an honor and I greatly appreciate all the support and the vote of confidence that you have given me. I know a lot of time and effort went into the selection process,” Ramsay said while addressing the board at the April 25 meeting.
Ramsay has been employed by the Hammonton Board of Education for 27 years and is currently the principal at Hammonton High School, a position he has held for 15 years. Prior to that, Ramsay served as an assistant principal at Hammonton High School and Hammonton Middle School.
“Mr. Ramsay brings a plethora of experience to his role as Superintendent of Schools in Hammonton. He graduated from Saint Thomas Aquinas College with a Bachelor of Science in Special Education and Elementary Education. He then graduated from Jersey City State College with a Master of Arts in Administration and Supervision. Mr. Ramsay has K-12 teaching credentials in addition to his supervisor, principal, and chief school administrator certifications. As a result, he has worked in several different roles throughout his 35 years as an educator. During his tenure as principal, Hammonton High School has been recognized as a New Jersey Department of Education Professional Learning Community Lab School. Mr. Ramsay has given presentations for the Department of Education and other educational organizations regarding Hammonton High School’s ‘Best Practices’ and highly effective Professional Learning Community structure,” the board announced in a release.
“I look forward to working with the students, parents, teachers, supervisors, and administrators in my new role as Superintendent of Schools,” Ramsay said in the release.
He echoed those sentiments in his remarks at the meeting.
“I look forward to working with this board of education as we collectively continue to do great things for the children of this amazing community. To say I’m a hundred percent invested in our school district would be an understatement,” Ramsay said.
Hammonton Board of Education President John E Lyons shared strong words of support for the Board’s choice in selecting Ramsay.
“The search committee did excellent work, Tom Ramsay is the educational leader who can continue the good work happening each day in Hammonton’s public schools. I am glad we were able to select an internal candidate, and look forward to partnering with Tom and the entire Board in the years to come as we continue our focus on academic excellence here in Hammonton,”. Lyons said.
Lyons added that the Board will begin an aggressive public information campaign as Ramsay takes over his role as Superintendent.
“We’re going to bring back our “Road Show” with Tom and the other administrators visiting local civic organizations, religious groups and other stakeholders to tell our story about successful public education here in Hammonton. It’s also a great opportunity to get the community’s input on what we can do together to take our schools to the next level. Tom’s already a known quantity here, but I want the public to see what the Board already knows.
Tom Ramsay is dedicated to Hammonton.” Lyons said.
In last week’s press release, both Chieco and Hammonton Education Association President Anthony Angelozzi voiced support for Ramsay.
“I am very grateful that the Board of Education selected an internal candidate that knows our district so well. I am extremely proud of the programs and improvements we have put into place over the past several years and know that Mr. Ramsay will provide the leadership to continue the excellence in education that the Hammonton Community expects. I wish him all of the best and will do all that I can to ensure a smooth transition for the district.” Chieco said.
Angelozzi added his and the HEA’s support. “The Hammonton Education Association offers sincere congratulations to Mr. Thomas Ramsay on his new role as district superintendent. Staff members recognize Mr. Ramsay as a man of high character who cares deeply about students, staff, and the Hammonton community. Mr. Ramsay has made a personal investment in the Hammonton School District through his many years of administrative experience and values employees and the expertise they bring to their jobs. Staff members look forward to partnering with Mr. Ramsay to advance the interests of the Hammonton School District,” Angelozzi said.
Ramsay thanked the board and others for his career at Hammonton.
“I’d like to thank former superintendent Warren Benedetto and [former HHS principal] Jim Donoghue for bringing me to this amazing town as a young administrator and Dr. [Dan] Blachford for believing in me 15 years ago when he recommended me to the board of education as its high school principal. And I certainly have to thank Ms. Chieco for all she has done for the high school and the school district during her tenure as superintendent,’ Ramsay said.
Ramsay showed his enthusiasm for his new position with his closing remarks.
“I know we have a lot of work ahead of us, but I promise you we will hit the ground running on July 1,” he said.
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