Superintendents Welcome

We are proud of our Gloucester Public Schools' many successful accomplishments during the 2021-2022 school year. We were one of the few school districts in South Jersey that remained physically open every day of the school year.  

40% of our student body had not physically attended school for more than 17 months (since the pandemic began in March of 2020), so we knew that the return to the traditional format of school was going to present many challenges.  But all members of our school community came together and rose above the tough challenges -- the continuous impact of the pandemic, societal strife, and social, mental, and emotional stress. We supported each other and kept moving forward together towards achieving our present and future goals.

Our high school was honored for the 6th consecutive year as one of US News & World Report’s “America’s Best High Schools.”  The groundwork for this great academic success is laid years beforehand at our elementary and middle schools. We also owe plenty of gratitude to the many dedicated and loving families throughout our community who remained committed to their child’s intellectual advancement throughout the time of the pandemic. In addition to substantial academic achievements, we saw all of our local traditions returning for the first time since the 2018-2019 school year:  Prom, Homecoming, National Junior Honor Society, National Honor Society induction ceremonies, 8th Grade and High School graduations, Cold Springs School’s “Clap Out” and Field Day, class field trips, and more. In many ways, our schools felt “normal” for the first time in three years. Student and staff community service and volunteerism continued to expand, and we celebrated our first South Jersey Group I Boys Basketball Championship in more than 50 years!

We added both a middle school wrestling team and a middle school Theater program. We began to administer the PSAT free to nearly all 8th through 11th grade students in addition to providing juniors and seniors with the opportunity to take the SAT free at our high school.  Our summer academic offerings, both remediation and enrichment, were offered more expansively at all three district schools; our campuses remained very active in July with activities ranging from “water days” to literacy and mathematical skill mastery.

We remain very excited for the new year. September will feature the long-awaited return of Industrial Arts and Construction Technology to the district.  Cold Springs School’s schedule will evolve in its second year since its redesign.  GMS will open the year with a new master schedule, additions to their administrative structuring, and a new principal.  Major projects for the year included the completion of the overhaul of the HVAC system, outdoor instructional and playground areas, and cafetorium at Cold Springs School, replacement of all GMS Smartboards, the construction of the state-of-the art Industrial Arts classroom and a new softball stadium at Gloucester High, and the replacement of our phone system throughout the school district.  Nearly all of this has been achieved utilizing funds from federal grant monies.  All of these projects were accomplished while only raising the average Gloucester City family household’s taxes by $1.85 per month.

We have transitioned a considerable amount of the formerly privatized support positions back to direct district employment.  We continue to prioritize maximizing the safety of all three of our campuses and we will start the school year with a full-time police officer at each of our district schools.  

Schools provide community members with a common experience and shared belief in the future. We are now embarking on a process to create a three-year strategic plan for the school district.  Abraham Lincoln stated, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”  Please join us to help create the future of the schools that serve our great community.  A community survey aimed at this strategic planning process can be found on our school district websites and social media platforms.  We will keep you informed as we advance through this impactful process.

Sincerely,

Mr. Sean Gorman & Dr. Kimberly Chiodi

Superintendent & Assistant Superintendent of Schools

GHS Graduates (Class of 1998)