Scott Rocco starts new position on Oct. 9
By Eileen Oldfield
Woods Road Principal Scott Rocco will soon find himself trying to fill his own shoes when he leaves the school to become district human resources director Oct. 9.
The Board of Education appointed Mr. Rocco to the position at Monday’s meeting.
”I’m very excited to take on this new opportunity in the school district,” said Mr. Rocco. “It’s an honor to continue working in the district in this new capacity.”
As human resources director, a $124,000 a year position, Mr. Rocco will be promoting the district to potential employees, recruiting new staff members, and hiring new teachers.
”It’s a different mindset, but I have the experience as a teacher and as an administrator to know what Hillsborough wants and needs,” said Mr. Rocco. “We have high-quality teachers here, and my job is to maintain it. Hillsborough is a fantastic district, and I want to keep it that way.”
Mr. Rocco began working in the district in 1994, and taught middle school and high school social studies before the district selected him as an administrative intern in 1998.
The internship, a response to a nationwide principal shortage that year, led to Mr. Rocco’s appointment as middle school vice principal in 1999, and Woods Road Pprincipal in 2001.
According to Mr. Rocco, the administrative internship, which included recruiting district staff, fostered an already-present interest in human resources.
”I’ve always had an interest in human resources,” said Mr. Rocco. “It’s just continued as I’ve been in the district.”
The appointment becomes effective Oct. 9, and follows Ann Marie McGoldrick’s resignation from the position in December.
Former Hillsborough Middle School Principal Robert Del Prete will take over as interim Woods Road principal until the district finds a principal.
”We’ll move quickly, but we’ll find the best person to come along,” said Dr. Forsthoffer. “We owe that. Mr. Rocco’s been at Woods Road for a long time, and knows the staff and parents there. I will not sell them short.”
The board considered another candidate, Joseph Picardo, for the position; however, Mr. Picardo could not accept the contract because of personal reasons. The district voted to cancel Mr. Picardo’s contract at a special meeting Aug. 7.
”He (Mr. Rocco) had the experience in Hillsborough being the main hirer for his building, and had the network for hiring great teachers,” said Superintendent Edward Forsthoffer.
In addition to teaching in Hillsborough, Mr. Rocco teaches graduate classes in educational administration at the College of New Jersey, and teaches classes for the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association.

