Superintendent’s vision: How to make the transition to head strategist
Superintendent Edward Aldarelli said the biggest transition he made when he moved up from principal to take the helm of Edison Township Public Schools was becoming the New Jersey district’s “head visionary.”
He was used to being around kids and managing the day-to-day operations of a school building, he says on District’s Administration’s “A Good Lesson” podcast.
“For me, it was defining my role, which is strategy,” Aldarelli told DA’s Vice President of Education Amy Dujon during an interview at the AASA 2026 Conference in Nashville in February. “It’s setting a clear vision for the district and measuring those pieces. We’re tyring to push the envelope in Edison.”
Aldarelli became superintendent of the high-achieving, 18,000-student district—one of New Jersey’s largest—in 2023. In the interview with Dujon, he says Apple’s motto, “the best idea wins,” inspired him in seeking innovations from his team of educators.
Aldarelli notes that he is now focused on three things: the wellness of students and staff, equity in providing all students with a rich education, and innovation. “Anything that falls into those buckets, I’m all in,” he added.
Listen to the full “A Good Lesson” podcast with Edward Aldarelli:
Reflecting on his own experience, he warned new superintendents not to become a roadblock by being too conservative or risk-averse. He admitted that his fear of failure caused him to focus too much on his own priorities without considering his new community’s values.
“You have to practice leadership—like you practice golf or the piano—every single day,” he contends.
He concedes that educators don’t necessarily get huge salary increases when test scores improve. To keep his team motivated, he involves teachers and other staff in decision-making and ensures their voices are heard.
“I never want to be the loudest voice in the room,” he notes on a “Good Lesson.” “I walk into every meeting with the understanding that I do not have to speak.”
Listen to the full “A Good Lesson” podcast with Edward Aldarelli:
