Carolyn Kossack
Welcome to the digital home of Carolyn Kossack, an accomplished leader in the field of education. This platform showcases Carolyn’s unwavering commitment to advancing student achievement through her work in curriculum innovation, diversity initiatives, and educational leadership. Beyond her extensive administrative experience, Carolyn M. Kossack is dedicated to fostering inclusive learning environments and supporting educators, students, and the broader community. Drawing on her deep expertise and forward-thinking approach, Carolyn Kossack offers invaluable insights and guidance for those navigating the evolving landscape of education and school leadership.
About Carolyn M. Kossack
Carolyn Kossack is a highly accomplished educational leader and advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion. With a distinguished career that spans over three decades, Carolyn Kossack has made significant contributions to the advancement of public education, leadership development, and community engagement. Her deep commitment to student achievement, coupled with her ability to foster positive relationships and cultivate inclusive environments, has earned her widespread recognition, including being named Monmouth County Superintendent of the Year in 2019.
Carolyn M. Kossack’s career is marked by her passion for innovative curricular design and her relentless focus on driving student success. Throughout her time as Superintendent of Schools for the Little Silver School District from 2007 to 2020, she championed initiatives that promoted the academic, social, and emotional well-being of all students. Her approach was rooted in the understanding that education extends beyond academics, addressing students’ diverse needs by embedding principles of cultural competency and unconscious bias into the fabric of the district’s curriculum.
One of her most notable achievements was the creation of a District Data Team that included representatives from all grade levels to analyze longitudinal trends in student performance. This team devised actionable plans to close achievement gaps and address areas of concern, ensuring that every student had the opportunity to succeed. Her collaborative leadership style was evident in her active solicitation of teacher input, ensuring that educators had a voice in developing and maintaining curriculum standards that reflected the diversity and inclusion goals of the district.
Carolyn Kossack’s leadership extended beyond the classroom. She was a member of the Monmouth County Superintendents’ Roundtable Leadership Team for six years, serving as an officer for four of those years. In this role, she worked closely with other superintendents and legislators to drive legislative change on critical issues such as special education funding. Her advocacy efforts culminated in testimony before the New Jersey Assembly, where she pushed for fair funding for school districts. Carolyn M. Kossack’s dedication to securing equitable resources for students and teachers was unwavering, and she consistently demonstrated her ability to navigate the complex intersection of education policy and legislative action.
Her commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is another hallmark of her career. As a Certified Diversity Professional (CDP®), Carolyn Kossack has been at the forefront of leading organizations in developing strategic plans and professional development opportunities that prioritize DEI as a core organizational competency. During her tenure as Superintendent, she initiated district-wide training programs focused on DEI, ensuring that staff were equipped with the knowledge and skills to create inclusive learning environments. Additionally, she partnered with Garden State Equality to provide professional development for staff on LGBTQ issues, furthering her mission to promote cultural competency within her schools.
Carolyn Kossack’s influence as a leader and educator also extended into the broader community. She played a pivotal role in fostering partnerships between the school district and local organizations, including Monmouth Medical Center Foundation, RWJBarnabas Health, and the Count Basie Center for the Arts. These collaborations brought wellness workshops to the community, offering support to students, parents, and staff on a range of issues from mental health to teen suicide prevention. Carolyn Kossack’s leadership in the Monmouth County Partnership for Wellness Steering Committee underscored her commitment to addressing the social and emotional needs of students, particularly those from marginalized backgrounds.
In addition to her work in public education, Carolyn M. Kossack has made significant contributions to higher education as an adjunct professor. She has taught at Rutgers Graduate School of Education, sharing her expertise in school leadership, supervision, and curriculum development with aspiring educational leaders. Her ability to bridge theory and practice has made her a sought-after mentor for educators seeking to enhance their leadership capabilities.
Following her tenure as Superintendent, Carolyn continued to offer her expertise as a per diem administrator and professional consultant for the Freehold Township School District. In this role, she worked closely with Central Office Administrators to set district priorities aimed at improving student achievement. She also played a key role in designing professional development for the District Data Team, providing targeted training to help educators address performance deficits and implement data-driven strategies for improvement. Her interim position as a building-level administrator allowed her to gain firsthand experience in managing school operations and supporting staff in their daily instructional efforts.
Throughout her career, Carolyn Kossack has been recognized not only for her ability to lead effective teams and build partnerships but also for her excellent communication skills. She has cultivated positive relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders, including community members, legislators, educators, and students. Her collaborative approach to problem-solving and her focus on exceeding goals have made her a trusted leader and advocate for positive change in education.
Carolyn holds a Doctor of Educational Administration (Ed.D.) from Rutgers University, a Master of Education (Ed.M.) from Rutgers University, and a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) from Montclair State College. She remains actively involved in professional organizations, including the Society for Diversity, the New Jersey Association of School Administrators (NJASA), the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), Garden State Equality, and the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN).
Carolyn M. Kossack continues her commitment to education and diversity through her volunteer work as a Leadership Coach with Braven, an organization that supports underrepresented students, including BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) individuals, in securing strong career opportunities after college. Currently working with students from Rutgers Newark enrolled in the Braven Accelerator course, Carolyn helps prepare them for the workforce by providing professional development and guidance. This aligns with her lifelong dedication to lifting up marginalized communities and fostering inclusive environments—work that mirrors her previous efforts as Superintendent, where she championed diversity, equity, and inclusion in education. Through Braven, Carolyn continues to empower the next generation of leaders to overcome systemic barriers and achieve success.
In her current role as a consultant and workshop facilitator, Carolyn Kossack continues to impact educational communities by training staff on unconscious bias, the cycle of prejudice, and LGBTQ issues, helping to build more inclusive environments for students and adults alike. Her career is a testament to her belief in the transformative power of education and her dedication to fostering environments where every student can thrive.