text: Dr. Tomko has held numerous administrative responsibilities during his 20-year career in educational administration. He has been a building administrator at the middle and secondary levels and responsible for district-wide curriculum, assessment, innovative program initiatives, technology, and professional development while in central office positions. Prior to his arrival in the Belleville N.J. Public Schools District, Dr. Tomko was the Director of Athletics and an Assistant Principal in the Dunellen Public Schools District.
  Several years later, he began his tenure with the Elmwood Park Public Schools District as middle school principal in 2002 and after one year, Dr. Tomko was asked to assume the position of principal of the high school. He was instrumental in re-arranging the secondary curriculum, ensuring that courses were aligned with state assessments and college readiness standards. He also began to study the achievement gaps between learners and the transition of students from 8th to 9th grade, making changes to programs and personnel to help students be successful in their classes.
  After two years, Dr. Tomko then served as principal of both the middle and high schools to help improve the continuity of programs in district, 6-12. During the 2009-2010 school year, Dr. Tomko was appointed Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction and on July 1, 2010 he began serving as Superintendent of Schools for the school district. Over the next four and one half years as the district’s Chief Education Officer, Dr. Tomko continued to raise student aptitude; challenged students with a more rigorous curriculum; introduced a 0% increase to the general budget tax levy; created the Academy of Mathematics and Medical Sciences; evaluated teachers and administrators more thoroughly; moved the district to common core alignment; and responded fiscally by making immediate cuts to help offset a $2.2 million deficit, working with the board of education on an action plan to restore financial stability to the district within several months. New programs implemented immediately after his appointment led to major increases in SAT and Advanced Placement scores, as well as increases in score assessments for the Special Education subgroup, which helped narrow the achievement gap.
  Dr. Tomko enhanced district technology with the largest one-to-one student iPad2 initiative in the state of New Jersey and in January 2014 passed a $10 million school facilities referendum after obtaining 42% grant funding from the state department of education. That same year under his charge, Elmwood Park Public Schools attained the largest graduation increase in the state (11.8%) and 82% of graduates in the economically disadvantaged subgroup retained enrollment in 2 and 4-year colleges.
  Dr. Tomko has served in previous districts in additional administrative positions such as department supervisor, assistant principal, and director of athletics. He began his career in education teaching high school science and middle and high school English in both private and public school systems.
  Dr. Tomko obtained his principal license and School Administrator certificate after earning his Master's Degree in Educational Administration (M.A.E.), and he has attained the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) with a concentration in Educational Leadership, Management, and Policy from Seton Hall University. Dr. Tomko has also earned a Master of Jurisprudence (M.J.) Degree in Children’s Law and Policy from Loyola University of Chicago School of Law; a Graduate Certificate in Community and Economic Development from The Pennsylvania State University; and a certificate in Leadership for his professional studies at Harvard University. He is presently completing a Graduate Certificate Program in The Brain, Teaching, and Learning from Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Tomko currently serves as an adjunct professor in the Educational Leadership/School Building Leadership graduate
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