A Message from the Superintendent

Greetings Falcon Family!

As the summer kicks into gear and we prepare for an extended holiday weekend celebrating our 250th anniversary on July 4th, I wanted to take a brief moment to send a note of appreciation and to outline a few of the things our excellent administrative team will be working on for the start of the 2026-2027 school year.

Although today is only day two as Superintendent in Jefferson, I can say that I already have a full sense of what it means to be a part of the Falcon Family.  I want to offer my sincere appreciation for all the messages, calls, and in person well-wishes I have received already. In speaking with staff and parents, you can hear just how much our community cares about its schools and our shared mission to provide the best opportunities for our children in each and every classroom district-wide. Jefferson is a proud, hardworking town that values a challenging education, well-rounded extracurricular activities, and exceptional sports programs. You should be very proud of the community spirit here.  

Over the past two days, I have already had the opportunity to meet individually with several of our staff, visit a few schools, and see the excellent work going on in the district's Extended School Year (ESY) program at White Rock Elementary. On day one, I saw firsthand just how far our district goes to care for its students. Members of the ESY staff, Special Services department, school administration, and our Buildings and Grounds team were all working after hours to prepare classrooms for the following day's expected heat, ensuring our students and staff would be comfortable and ready to learn. The team effort here to make sure all students and staff are taken care of is something the community should be very proud of. Our educators are truly All In.  

As we continue summer planning, a few potential goals have come into focus for the summer months, including:

• Reviewing community feedback from the superintendent search process to hear directly from families what they see as a priority for our schools in the new year.
• Reviewing the district's strategic plan, currently approved through 2028, to evaluate what the current year focus will look like to enhance our offerings for students.
• Continuing the fight for fair funding by meeting with government officials, local advocacy groups, and members of our administration to plan a sound fiscal future for Jefferson, while still ensuring that focus remains on a school funding formula which is fair for all of New Jersey’s children, but especially here in the Highlands, after years of under-funding.
• Speaking with building leadership and special services to ensure I have an opportunity to attend PTA meetings, community events, and that we look to offer new ways for families to provide feedback to our district on our shared mission to support our kids. 
• Continuing to meet with supervisors, teaching and support staff leadership, and building principals to hear how we can best support their mission to provide students a rigorous and supportive educational experience at the school level.  

I’d like to close with a personal note on my educational philosophy and what you can expect from me in my role as your superintendent.  I have always believed that ALL students can learn and thrive with the right support, challenge, and inspiration. To ensure we meet this vision, we will work together as partners to ensure all students have that opportunity. That starts with me. I believe in boots-on-the-ground leadership. In the coming months, you can trust that I will be visible and engaged in our students' education and present to support our school events.  

So, if you see me at a school event, helping in the bus/car line at your children's school, or at one of our district's games, please come by and introduce yourself, let me know where your kids go to school, and share your hopes for the future of Jefferson’s schools.

Have a wonderful holiday weekend with your families and thank you for trusting our schools with your most important people!

In Partnership,

Scot Burkholder
Superintendent of Schools
Jefferson Township Public Schools