MIDDLETOWN – William O. George III, who has led the Middletown Township Public Schools for nine years as superintendent, will leave the school district at the end of August. George said he has accepted a position at Monmouth University, West Long Branch.
In announcing his decision in a May 8 letter to the community, George wrote, “After nearly nine years as superintendent, I have made a decision to retire from public education effective Sept. 1, 2020.
“I have accepted a position on the faculty of the Monmouth University School of Education as an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Counseling and Leadership. This is a bittersweet moment after having spent 33 years serving in public education as a teacher, coach, mentor and administrator.
“I will always be grateful to have had the opportunity to lead the Middletown Township Public Schools. As a lifelong Monmouth County resident, my career goal to serve this amazing community was a dream come true.
“My lifelong passion has been to inspire, motivate and assist students to achieve their dreams and acquire the confidence that leads to success and happiness. I would like to express my gratitude to every student, teacher and staff member I worked with along the way who shared in my dream,” George wrote.
“I am confident this important work will continue due to the efforts of our outstanding educators and staff. I am proud to have been a small part of the success our district has enjoyed over the past nine years.
“It has been said that educators are the procurers of the American Dream. Never has that been more evident than now during these challenging and unprecedented times.
“Although the Board of Education will take action on my retirement (on May 13), I will remain in my position until Sept. 1. This will allow me to close out the school year, assist in writing the new strategic plan and provide the board with ample time to find my replacement.
“I am very grateful for the support I have received from students, staff and parents during my tenure. The success we have achieved together was only possible due to our talented and dedicated educators and staff who work tirelessly on behalf of our outstanding students every day, as well as our supportive board.
“The true evidence of the success of the Middletown schools can be found in the performance of our exceptional students. Our students’ resilience during this challenging time continues to provide inspiration for all of us.
“The Middletown school community will always hold a special place in my heart and I will continue to display my #MTPS pride going forward,” George wrote.
Board President Pamela Rogers told the Independent, “While Dr. George will be missed, the board is happy for him as he embarks on his next journey. We have every confidence he will help us to smooth the transition to new leadership and look forward to finishing out the 2020-25 strategic plan together.”