The Middlesex County Vocational and Technical Schools (MCVTS) Board of Education has selected Jorge E. Diaz as the new superintendent of schools.
Diaz is scheduled to take over the superintendent position on April 1, according to information provided by MCVTS.
An educator for more than two decades, Diaz has served as the superintendent of schools for the South Amboy School District for the past five years.
“I am honored to accept the position of superintendent of schools for MCVTS,” Diaz said in the statement. “I look forward to applying the experience and expertise acquired throughout my more than 20 years in education – as a superintendent, an administrator, and a classroom teacher – to this new role.
“More importantly, I’m excited for the opportunity to work with leaders throughout the county, higher education, and the private sector to enact my vision of rebranding the MCVTS and its curriculum to better prepare students for the evolving workforce. Thank you to Middlesex County and the MCVTS Board of Education for entrusting me with this responsibility,” he said.
Diaz began his career in education in 1999 as a technology specialist and teacher for the Union City Board of Education. During his eight years with the Union City School District, Diaz taught sixth, seventh and eighth grade students; was a member of the School Technology Task Force and Budget Task Force; served as an advisor for afterschool programs; and coached the high school varsity wrestling team, according to the statement.
He then spent 10 years as a high school and elementary school principal in New Brunswick before accepting the role of superintendent of schools for South Amboy Public Schools in January 2017.
As superintendent in South Amboy, Diaz created new special education programs, providing in-house services so that students would not need to travel out of the district to receive special education programming, according to the statement.
Diaz also spearheaded a 1:1 Chromebook initiative, obtaining pilot funding from the City of South Amboy to provide Chromebooks for every student in the district.
Diaz earned a Master of Arts degree in Educational Leadership from Kean University in 2006 and a Bachelor of Science degree from Rutgers University in 1995.
A resident of Carteret, Diaz has been a member of the Carteret Borough Council since January 2004, where he serves as chair of Finance and Administration.
He is also involved in his local community, serving on the Executive Committee of the Perth Amboy Area Branch of the NAACP, and as vice president of the Board of Trustees for the Carteret Library, according to the statement.
“Finding the right person to lead this unique school district and to execute on the board’s vision for the future was not easy, but Mr. Diaz’s unique skills and extensive background in educational administration and teaching makes him the right leader for our students, parents, and entire school community,” Keith Jones II, president of the MCVTS Board of Education, said in the statement.
MCVTS was the first full-time county vocational school system in the country, “and over the years, it has developed a reputation for providing an excellent education to high school, adult, and special needs students,” Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners Director Ronald G. Rios said in the statement.
“Leading a public school district that serves such a diverse population and offers the broad range of educational opportunities available at MCVTS is no small task, but I believe Jorge E. Diaz is up to the challenge. We, in Middlesex County, are proud of the many assets our county has at our disposal, and Mr. Diaz is a reflection of that,” Rios said.
“A solid education is the foundation for future success in any endeavor, and we are committed to supporting MCVTS in their mission to provide a stellar education to county residents,” Middlesex County Commissioner Chanelle Scott McCullum, chair of the Community Advisory Committee that assisted the Board of Education in the search process, said in the statement. “The selection of Jorge E. Diaz as superintendent of schools for MCVTS will ensure the district has a strong and compassionate leader at the helm who is prepared to handle the myriad challenges of 21st-century education.”
The MCVTS Board of Education appointed Robert P. Mooney as interim superintendent in August 2021.
With six schools located on five campuses throughout Middlesex County, MCVTS serves approximately 2,200 high school students and roughly 400 adult students annually.
The district has an annual operating budget of more than $50 million, according to the statement.
For more information about Middlesex County Vocational and Technical Schools, visit www.mcvts.net/.