Dr. Thomas Toohey, an assistant superintendent of the Edison Township Public Schools, is a leader driven by a deep commitment to fostering student success and educational innovation.

Unlike many who pursue education with a clear path from the start, his journey was unconventional. Despite initially struggling as a student, Toohey ultimately found his passion in education, inspired by teachers who saw potential in him when he could not.

“School was really tough on me. I struggled academically, struggled behaviorally, I hated being there,” he said. “If you’d asked when I was your age what I’d do, the last thing I would have said was become an educator.”
It wasn’t until his junior and senior years of college that Toohey felt a pull towards education.

“With time and maturity, I saw the impact that these people had on my life, and I wanted to be that person for others,” he shared. Initially pursuing a different career path, he later returned to school to become a teacher, proving that passion and purpose can emerge at any stage of life.

“The first year I became an administrator, a lot of my job was fairly compliance-driven. I would have to do state reports and fill out grant applications,” Toohey said. Yet a specific experience in his first year as administrator would establish his passion for his career in education.

Taking advantage of an IDA grant, Toohey brought a group of behaviorally-disabled kids out to Island Beach State Park for three days and four nights.

“It was an inspiring moment in my career,” Toohey said, “because it gave me the belief that, although a lot of things are compliance-driven, there’s a lot of room in there to do some cool stuff for kids.”

For him, making informed decisions means considering the emotional and practical implications of everyone being impacted. Empathy is central to his leadership philosophy.

“You have to understand the perspective of the teacher, the parent, the student across the table,” he said. “You don’t always have to be responsive to that empathy, but you have to understand the other side of the table.”

Furthermore, one of Toohey’s key approaches to leading efficiently is making decisions with integrity and consistency.

“If you’re going to say something, you better do it,” he said. “In an organization this size, the words that come out of your mouth carry so much weight. You have to be cognizant of the actions you put behind those words.”

Throughout his career, Toohey has faced numerous educational challenges, but he sees each as an opportunity for growth. One of the defining moments of his leadership came during Hurricane Sandy in 2012, when he worked as the administrator of Highlands, Atlantic Highlands, and Henry Hudson combined.

“[The Friday before the hurricane hit], I was dealing with a parent who wanted to switch their kid’s kindergarten class, to which I was going to have to tell her no. At that time, that was my biggest administrative challenge ever,” Toohey said. “By Sunday, I had 210 students who were homeless due to the storm.”

The experience put his role into perspective, shifting his focus from small administrative decisions to the large impact education has on communities in crisis.

“I went from worrying about what I thought was a big deal, to worrying about an actual big deal,” Toohey said.

Another challenge was navigating the complexities of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The biggest leadership challenges are situations outside of our control. We get handed them a lot as school administrators, and we have to be responsive to them without precedent,” Toohey said.

Toohey is also passionate about mental health and wellness in education. He believes that every student, regardless of their academic standing, deserves the right to all support systems.

“Whether you’re going to Stanford or Middlesex College, everyone has different wellness needs,” he said.

When asked about the legacy he hopes to leave, Toohey responded simply.
“I want students to feel like their time in our schools prepared them for life. I want to create an environment where every student knows they matter,” he said.

Toohey’s advice on leadership is clear.

“If you don’t go, you’ll never know. Don’t just dip your toe— dive in headfirst at one hundred miles per hour and give it everything you’ve got.”