BRICK – Nearly five years ago, Brick Township Public Schools hired Dr. Thomas G. Farrell as its newest Superintendent.
Before Farrell’s appointment, there were 11 people who had held the superintendent’s position in an 11-year span.
In the past, the district faced incredible turmoil with the high turnover rate – previous superintendent Gerard Dalton stepping down only after one year of his four-year contract.
When Farrell became the newly appointment superintendent, it was a glimmer of hope for the district. Farrell promised to forge relationships between students, teachers, parents, and the community – and a plan to stay at Brick Schools for a long time.
“I think any time you have continuity and consistency and any kind of organizational leadership position, if you stay the course and do that right process, you should have success,” Farrell said.
When Farrell began in March of 2020, he had no idea he’d be leading the district through the most unprecedented times. The COVID-19 pandemic posed a major challenge, coupled with the ongoing negative effects of the S-2 school funding formula, Farrell was faced with obstacles right from the start.
“I’ll never forget it,” Farrell said. “What an audacious start.”
However, with his resilience and positivity, he’s proven himself to be a strategic leader in education.
“What you see during crisis is you see the great people and the great things that you have. I recognized at that point that this was a great place and I’m very lucky to be here,” Farrell said. “As far as students’ performance, scores, and attendance, those have been really steadfast goals of ours the last few years because of the pandemic.”
In September 2024, Farrell was honored as NJASA Regional Superintendent of the Year.
“This isn’t an individual award,” Farrell said. “There’s been so much change in years prior to me. But I am proud Brick Schools gets recognized for grinding, and their steadfast commitment to improve and to keep improving. That’s what I’m proud of and I think that’s what the award represents.”
Along with it being his 5th year as Superintendent of Brick Schools, Farrell has been a Superintendent in New Jersey for 12 years. He also serves as President of the Ocean County Association of School Administrators (OCASA).
“Dr. Farrell is being recognized for his exceptional leadership, unwavering dedication to educational excellence, and innovative approach to fostering a supportive and engaging learning environment,” NJASA Executive Director Dr. Richard G. Bozza said. “Under his guidance, his District has seen significant improvements in student performance, teacher development, and community engagement. Dr. Farrell is committed to implementing forward-thinking policies and has an ability to inspire both staff and students alike.”
Farrell, along with two other regional superintendents of the year, will now be considered for the New Jersey superintendent of the year. That person will then be eligible for consideration as the national superintendent of the year.
“I am so lucky to be in this position because Brick Schools is truly is a special place,” Farrell said. “It has a family atmosphere. It has a lot of pride and tradition in the things they do and a lot of community involvement.”
“So, I can’t take all the credit. This is something that’s been here; I’m just lucky enough to play a small part in it and kind of bring people together. I love bringing people together for a cause. I think when you have everyone in the rowboat rowing the oars the same way, there’s no saying what you can accomplish. I feel that’s the way the past five years has been, and I feel the next five years are going to be even better. With our Strategic Plan, and with our audacious student performance goals, we’re starting to improve student performance and testing as well,” Farrell added.
