By Sunayana Prabhu
SHREWSBURY – The century-old Shrewsbury Borough School (SBS) is entering a new chapter. The Shrewsbury Board of Education (BOE) has launched a search for a new superintendent following the retirement announcement of Superintendent Brent MacConnell.
MacConnell, who has served the pre-K-8 district for 25 years, including 18 years as superintendent, announced last fall that he will retire at the end of the school year. He was appointed superintendent in 2008 and also has served as the school’s principal.
“Our little school plays a huge role in the education of Shrewsbury students, serving them from pre-K through eighth grade. I have always taken that responsibility seriously, and set ambitious goals when I became superintendent 18 years ago,” MacConnell said in an email response about his retirement and the next steps for SBS.
With the help of board members, faculty, staff and community members, MacConnell led the district through a successful referendum, academic improvements and the creation of comprehensive extracurricular programs.
Last year, the district unveiled a $22.5 million expansion that added three pre-K classrooms and two multipurpose rooms to the existing SBS campus. The expansion was approved by taxpayers in a referendum and funded through bonds issued by the Monmouth County Improvement Authority. A separate multipurpose room accommodates the district’s aftercare program, run by the YMCA, as well as clubs and community meetings.
“It had long been my plan to retire once these goals were achieved,” MacConnell said. “I believe Shrewsbury Borough School is well-positioned to serve future generations of students. I look forward to seeing our school continue to evolve and excel under new leadership.”
The tight-knit district, which enrolls about 462 students, has taken steps to gather community input as part of the search process. The board hosted two public input sessions – one in person and one virtual – Feb. 3 and Feb. 5.
In addition to the input sessions, the district also conducted an online survey through Feb. 13 to collect feedback from residents. The survey asked about district direction, leadership structure and style, and candidate experience. It referred to the position as chief school administrator, or CSA. Responses will help the board determine the community’s priorities for the district’s future.
“The Shrewsbury Board of Education appreciates all the community members, teachers, staff and students who contributed to the superintendent search process through input sessions and an online survey,” Board President David Ngo said in a Feb. 13 email to The Two River Times.
It has been nearly 20 years since the district last hired a new superintendent. The board has partnered with a professional search firm to facilitate community sessions and manage the recruitment process.
The firm and board are also conducting focus groups to hear from members of the school community, including teachers and other staff members, school organization leaders, and seventh- and eighth-grade students.
“This feedback will help guide our next steps as we work with the professional search firm to form a leadership profile,” Ngo said. “By prioritizing the qualities our next superintendent should possess, we will ensure a more effective and efficient search.”
Now that the survey and input sessions have concluded, the professional search firm will analyze the results to develop a list of qualities that are desired in the next superintendent The search firm will then advertise the position and begin the recruitment and interview process.
The board is expected to interview candidates and select a superintendent by spring break.
In recent years, the borough has faced concerns about teacher resignations. Some parents last year also called for MacConnell’s resignation in light of their concerns about teacher turnover. According to a Sept. 29 article by The Two River Times, at least four teachers had resigned by August 2025. The issue was raised during the Aug. 20 Board of Education meeting last year, when several parents attributed the resignations to district leadership. In a statement issued outside the meeting, then-Board President Jessica Groom said the resignations were “in line with statewide averages,” noting that 21 teachers had resigned from Shrewsbury Borough Schools since the 2020-21 school year.
The recruitment process for the superintendent is currently ongoing. The next BOE meeting is scheduled for Feb. 19.
The article originally appeared in the February 19 – 25, 2026 print edition of The Two River Times.
