Superintendent's Office

Joseph Macary, Ed.D. is currently Superintendent of Schools for the City of Middletown effective July 2026. Before that, Dr. Macary successfully served as the Superintendent of Schools for the Town of Vernon, Connecticut for 11 years, from October 2015 to July 2026. The Vernon Public Schools is a CT Alliance District with 3500 students, seven schools and a regional adult education program.  He has received excellent reviews for his educational leadership, growth in student achievement, organizational management, community relations, board of education relationships, and personal & professional qualities & relationships. Before Vernon, Dr. Macary successfully served as the Superintendent of Schools for the Town of Wolcott Connecticut from July 2009 to September 2015.  Dr. Macary was employed with the Wolcott Public Schools from October 2005, serving as the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction and the Director of Student Services (Special Education) and Alternate Programs.  

Dr. Macary started his teaching career in the Waterbury Public Schools as a Social Studies Teacher at Wilby High School and then at Crosby High School. At Crosby, he became the Social Studies Department Chair and Athletic Director at the school, where he previously coached the Boys Soccer and Riflery teams. Dr. Macary entered the field of educational administration as the Supervisor of Social Studies and Family & Consumer Science & Related Careers for the Waterbury Public Schools dealing with career and technical education.

Dr. Macary graduated from Crosby High School, and the University of Connecticut with a bachelor’s degree, majoring in Political Science and a concentration in Economics. He graduated from Quinnipiac College with a master’s degree in teaching and then received his Sixth-Year Degree from Southern Connecticut State University in Educational Leadership. Dr. Macary received his doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Connecticut in August 2016. Dr. Macary was selected “Who’s Who among America’s High School Teachers” three times and he has presented numerous times at the state CABE/CAPSS Convention.

In 2014, he was selected "Educator of the Year" by the Greater Waterbury Boys & Girls Club and in 2016, Dr. Macary was selected as the Distinguished Alumni for the Executive (ELP) Leadership Program at UConn. In 2022, Dr. Macary received the Albert J. Kerkan Award for exemplary leadership in Adult Education from VRABE. In March 2023, he was the Outstanding Superintendent recipient from the UConn Neag Alumni Board. Dr. Macary was named the 2024 ‘Superintendent of the Year’ by the Connecticut Association of Public-School Superintendents (CAPSS). The Vernon Public Schools has been awarded the prestigious ‘Blue Ribbon Schools’ by the U.S. Department of Education, twice (2020 & 2023) over the past 6 years. In 2025, the Vernon Public Schools was named a 2026 finalist (one of three districts – only one in CT) for the National DALI (District Administration Leadership Institute) Award for Culture, Vision, and Strategic Planning based on the district work for organizational coherence and building capacity.  

Currently, Dr. Macary is the Internship Coordinator for the UConn Executive Leadership Program for aspiring Superintendents since 2022. He has served as a mentor for aspiring Superintendents for the past 14 years with UConn and CCSU. Dr. Macary served as the President of the University of Connecticut Neag Alumni Board and as a member for six years. In addition, he serves the New England Association of Schools & Colleges (NEASC) as a Lead Visitor for International School Visits seeking continued accreditation. Joe is a resident of Wolcott, Connecticut, where he resides with his wife and two sons.