Hillsborough Board Renews Three Top Administrators

The Hillsborough Township Board of Education moved in May to keep three of the district’s top administrators in place for the 2026-27 school year, according to local reports and district records. The renewals fit into a broader stretch of planning in Hillsborough that includes a finalized 2026-27 budget, elementary redistricting and the district’s transition to full-day kindergarten. The district’s public meeting page says the board meets at 7:30 p.m. at the Auten Road Intermediate School Cafetorium in Hillsborough. Michael Volpe, Joel Handler and Lisa Rebimbas are all central to those next steps, based on prior board actions and district presentations. ### Which three administrators are at the center of the action? Michael Volpe has served as Hillsborough superintendent since February 1, 2023, under a contract approved in 2022 that runs through June 30, 2027. That agreement laid out annual salary steps through 2027, including $249,384 for 2026 and $254,372 for 2027. Joel Handler was promoted in May 2025 to the newly created role of assistant superintendent for instructional technology. (patch.com) Patch reported that the board unanimously approved that contract, which runs from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, at an annual salary of $204,101. Lisa Rebimbas was appointed in February 2025 as assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. (patch.com) Patch reported that her contract runs from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, with an annual salary of $212,600, and a county approval letter posted to BoardDocs confirms that 2025-26 term. ### Why was the board dealing with these contracts now? July 1 is the start of the next school fiscal and employment year in New Jersey districts, and all three previously disclosed agreements tied key terms to June 30 end dates. (patch.com) That made spring 2026 the point at which Hillsborough needed to act if it wanted continuity in those leadership posts for 2026-27. (patch.com) Gerard Eckert offers a recent example of that pattern. Patch reported in May 2025 that the board renewed the business administrator and board secretary’s contract at a salary of $219,818 for July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. The current story says the board again set 2026-27 terms for three top leadership positions, but the available public snippets do not fully show each renewed 2026-27 salary figure. (patch.com) ### What district work is this leadership team overseeing? March 2026 budget discussions put Volpe and district administrators at the center of a $182,748,175 proposed budget for 2026-27. Volpe told board members he was recommending use of the district’s full 2% tax-levy authority for what he called “long-term financial stability,” before the board later approved a final budget with a 1.31% levy increase. (patch.com) November 2025 and March 2026 updates identified Handler as the administrator leading Hillsborough’s redistricting work ahead of full-day kindergarten. He told families the district planned to keep its six K-4 elementary schools, make limited boundary adjustments and notify affected families after spring break as lines were finalized. Rebimbas has been the senior curriculum official during district presentations on academic performance. (patch.com) Patch reported in late 2025 that she presented Hillsborough High School’s New Jersey Graduation Proficiency Assessment results to the board. ### What can be verified about the board’s stated reason? Patch’s headline and story summary say board members framed the renewals as a continuity move as Hillsborough heads into major 2026-27 initiatives. (patch.com) The district’s recent public agenda items support that context: redistricting, kindergarten expansion and budget pressures were all active board issues this school year. (patch.com) The district’s board information page says the board is responsible for setting goals, overseeing district progress and adopting a fiscally sound operating budget. That public description aligns with the board’s role in contract approvals for senior administrators. ### What remains to watch next? The 2026-27 school year is the next test for the decisions the board has now made. Handler told families in March that boundary changes would be phased in, with the district monitoring new construction and reevaluating lines in two to three years if needed. � (htps.us) (msn.com)