Edison High's longtime principal is retiring. The district hasn't named a replacement.
Charles Ross is leaving after 16 years. The board also ratified a new five-year contract for custodial staff and approved changes to the district's paid busing program that families need to know about before September.
Edison High School Principal Charles Ross is retiring. The board of education celebrated his career in June. (Credit: Edison Schools)
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Chris Howell | June 24, 2026
The Edison Board of Education held its final caucus meeting of the school year Tuesday night, approving a new five-year contract for custodial and maintenance staff, setting new rules for the district’s optional paid busing program, and sending off the longtime principal of Edison High School.
Here is what you need to know.
Edison High principal Charles Ross is retiring after 16 years
The meeting’s most talked-about moment had nothing to do with a vote. Board members, the teachers union president, and several residents used their time at the microphone to praise outgoing Edison High School Principal Charles K. Ross, who is retiring July 31 after 16 years leading the school.
“There’s probably no bigger cheerleader,” Edison Teachers Association President Matt Hrevnak said. “He was such a dynamic speaker that it was always a tough act to follow.”
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Board President Vishal Patel said the entrance to Edison High’s stadium was recently dedicated as Charles K. Ross Way, a gift from the Class of 2026. “He’s going to leave a lasting memory for the students and the community,” Patel said.
The naming reflects a catchphrase Ross made synonymous with his tenure. “What’s Great About Edison High” became a rallying phrase that, in the words of a post from board member Jerry Shi, “inspired generations to focus on the very best of our schools and community.”
Resident Joyce Ship Freeman offered a more personal send-off. “I’m gonna miss you, Charles,” she said. “I’m not gonna have anybody to spar with about how great your students are.”
No announcement has been made about who will succeed Ross. Superintendent Edward Aldarelli said Tuesday night that a recommendation has not yet been brought to the board. “The rumor mill in Edison is quite active,” he added, “so you may know before I know.”
Custodians and maintenance workers ratify new five-year contract
A custodian buffers the floors at a school in Des Moines, Iowa. (Credit: Phil Roeder)
The board voted unanimously on Tuesday to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement with the EPS Custodian and Maintenance Association, covering the period from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2031. The vote came on the same night the union ratified the contract on its end.
Patel credited board member Ralph Errico, who is retiring after 35 years in the district, for leading the negotiations. “Thank you to Ralph and his team for having a successful negotiation,” Patel said. “My understanding is the contract was also ratified by the union members today.”
Specific salary terms were not read into the public record on Tuesday.
Paid busing program will be smaller and first-come, first-served this fall
Parents of students who use the district’s subscription busing program should expect significant changes in September.
The board approved a new rate of $920 per student for the 2026-27 school year, up from prior years. More importantly, the number of routes will be reduced, and spots will be available on a first-come, first-served basis through the district’s parent portal, which is expected to open June 29.
Subscription busing is a paid, optional service for students who live close enough to school that the district is not required to bus them for free. Under state law, free busing is only required for students who live more than two miles from their school in grades K through 8, or more than 2.5 miles away in grades 9 through 12. Families outside those distances are not affected by these changes.
Aldarelli told the board the program will be self-sustaining this year, meaning routes will only run if they generate enough revenue to cover their costs. “It will be limited, depending upon the routes,” he said.
The Transportation Committee, chaired by Errico, is also exploring hiring in-house mechanics, purchasing buses through cooperative purchasing programs, and entering a shared-service agreement with a neighboring district to reduce long-term costs. Several buses are being retired this year. No new buses have been budgeted for purchase.
Board hears request to adjust Passover on next year’s calendar
Two residents asked the board on Tuesday to modify the 2026-27 school calendar to avoid scheduling a professional development day on Passover.
Resident Sue Campioni noted the board had previously accommodated Eid by not designating it a makeup snow day and asked for comparable treatment for Passover. “I’m asking you out of respect, the way that you did for other people, to make them early dismissals,” she said.
Hrevnak added his voice to the request. “I just want to advocate, just out of respect for everyone’s beliefs and religions,” he said. “I do hope the board does the right thing with that.”
Neither a motion nor a response from board members was offered Tuesday night. The calendar adjustment was not on the agenda.
Woodrow Wilson wins Odyssey of the Mind world championship, a first for the district
Six eighth-graders from Woodrow Wilson Middle School returned from Ames, Iowa as world champions after winning first place at the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals. It is the first time a team from Edison Township Public Schools has claimed the title.
Team members Japna Dhatt, Aayush Kucheriya, Dhimahi Samant, Aahaan Yadav, Arya Patel, and Prashasth Hebbar were recognized at the meeting with certificates from the board.
“This is the first time Woodrow Wilson has done this, and I think it’s the first time in our district,” Patel said. “I hope they continue their journey when they’re in high school and continue to be number one in the world.”
The district also celebrated the graduation of 20 students from its Success Academy, an alternative program that serves students who would previously have been placed in costly out-of-district placements. Twelve of the graduates came from Edison High and eight from JP Stevens.
Patel said the district was paying roughly $3 million per year to educate these students elsewhere before the program launched. He said the district now hopes to replicate the model for its special education population, bringing more students in-district and reducing transportation costs.
Editor’s note: The Central Jerseyan is free to read and supported by advertising. If you value this kind of local reporting and want to help sustain it, you can become a citizen supporter on Patreon. Your contribution helps fund continued coverage of local government, schools, and community issues.