The Ramsey Board of Education expects to formally appoint Andrew C. Matteo as its next superintendent.
Officials said he would succeed Matthew J. Murphy, retiring on January 1 with nearly ten years of distinguished service in Ramsey. Action is expected at the Board of Education meeting on August 30.
Matteo, a resident of Verona, would be the 10th superintendent in the long and storied history of the Ramsey School District and the first to have attended those schools as a student.
"I am extremely honored to serve the Ramsey community in this new role," Matteo said. "Ramsey is a special place because of its people. I look forward to working with students, staff, families, and all community members to continue our tradition of excellence while growing, evolving, and improving. There is no place I would rather be."
The school board selected Matteo after a comprehensive search process that produced a large and impressive group of candidates.
That included multi-state advertisement, a community-wide survey, and a community forum. Feedback was synthesized and compiled into a profile that was used to guide the entire process and to create interview questions.
The board's search committee narrowed 65 applicants to nine promising candidates. Interviews and background checks were conducted.
"We were extremely impressed with the candidate pool, and the interviews bore this out," said school board President Laura Behrmann.
"This was a very difficult decision, and in the end, Dr. Matteo demonstrated that he understood the district and provided bold new plans to take it to the next level. We want to thank Dr. Murphy for his leadership."
Born and raised in Ramsey, Matteo attended Ramsey schools from kindergarten through his graduation from Ramsey High School in 1998.
Matteo attended Boston College, majoring in elementary education and history. He holds two master's degrees from Columbia University and, in 2020, received a Ph.D. from Montclair State University.
Matteo's 19 years of experience in public education began as a teacher and principal in Glen Rock.
He returned to Ramsey in 2012 to serve as the principal of John Y. Dater Elementary School, a position he held for five years.
For the past five years, Matteo has served as Ramsey School District's Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. Matteo is also an adjunct professor at Ramapo College, where he teaches in the Educational Leadership program.
On behalf of the Board, Behrmann expressed appreciation for Murphy's long service, high standards and inspiring vision and said she anticipates a deeper acknowledgment of that as his retirement date draws near.
The next four months will allow a seamless transition of the district's top leadership.