Hackensack school district hires a new superintendent. Meet Thomas McBryde
HACKENSACK — Thomas McBryde, the deputy superintendent of excellence, equity and inclusion for Norwalk Public Schools in Connecticut, will be the next Hackensack schools superintendent.
McBryde will begin in his new role on Jan. 1, 2024, replacing Superintendent Robert Sanchez, who is retiring at the end of the year.
The city Board of Education voted to approve his three-year contract with an annual salary of $263,000 at a special meeting Monday night.
“Our goal is to make sure that every child, no matter who you are, has the opportunity and access to receive the highest-quality education, and that is my responsibility, that is our responsibility,” McBryde said after he was appointed. “Thank you all for your confidence in me, and I look forward to getting started in January.”
He grew up in Elizabeth in what he described as “humble beginnings.” But he had parents and teachers who believed in him.
“They valued education. It transformed my life,” he said.
McBryde, who has a bachelor’s degree from Morehouse College, two master’s degrees from Cambridge College and Baruch College and a Ph.D. in educational leadership from Argosy University, had worked in Norwalk since 2021. He previously worked in New York City public schools in Brooklyn and Manhattan as a principal and deputy superintendent, after beginning his career in education through the Teach for America program after graduating college.
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Anthony Zisa, a Hackensack parent and an English teacher in the district, said McBryde’s appointment as the first Black superintendent in Hackensack is a “landmark in a community where so many children can now see themselves in the person leading our district.”
But he criticized the district’s process of choosing a new leader, saying there should have been more transparency and community involvement in the decision.
"One survey on Google Classroom three months ago was not community engagement," he said. "There should have been forums."
Donna West, the Hackensack Education Association president, also welcomed McBryde to the district.
“We are happy to have you here representing a population that finally sees someone in leadership that looks like them,” she said.
Scott James-Vickery, the school board president, said the trustees worked over several months to narrow the field of candidates from the 23 applications they received. During McBryde’s interviews, he was the one who “got this board energized.”
“I believe we will absolutely do good work together,” he said. "Let’s start preparing for that journey, and in January we will hit the ground running.”
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: New superintendent at Hackensack schools in 2024: Meet Thomas McBryde
