For more than the past two decades, Mrs. Christine Cilio has served as an HHS staff member. In the past, her day schedule was designated by the ring of a school bell; it’s now centered around the movement of the student body as she enters her second year as a Vice Principal. Behind her office door, Cilio faces a flurry of inquiries from staff and students, incoming phone calls, and a growing school population as she enters into the world of high school administrators and NJ state education.
In her quest to help students better themselves, Vice Principal Cilio earned her master’s in education at TCNJ in 2015 after starting her teaching career in 2003. After almost 20 years as an English teacher, she decided to pursue administration to make an impact across a student’s whole schedule instead of a singular class.
“I couldn’t believe how polite, well-mannered, and amazing all the students were here. And that hasn’t really stopped being the case,” Cilio said. “I was able to help them with not just English, but with life. I thought, how could I do more of this?”
Cilio credits her predecessors and colleagues for her transition to the VP office. She witnessed HHS go through major changes during her administrative internship virtually during COVID-19, while simultaneously undertaking her teaching duties. Shifting from a roster of 125 students to a caseload of 800 students, Cilio enjoys the new interactions she has with students and teachers alike, away from an average classroom setting.
“Before I had to really worry about what was in those four walls of that classroom. Now I’ve got to keep in mind the entire building, and all of the people in the building. It’s about really broadening my thinking and making sure I’m trying to take into account a lot more needs and desires for what we need here,” Cilio said.
She said she has made it a personal goal to continue the support she received during her entrance to administration by bringing that welcoming environment to a larger scale. Over the past five years, she has taken note that more than half of the staff consists of new teachers.
“If teachers are feeling good and supported in what they’re doing, they’re gonna be able to support our students that much more,” she said. “One thing I love about Hillsborough is that we work as a team. We all work together.” Cilio has, in turn, started a new initiative where administrators meet with new teachers throughout the year to answer questions they have while acclimating to HHS.
In order to make sure that every student in the building has a great time in HHS, Cilio stresses the importance of connecting new staff members and existing staff with administration, and using these interactions as a way to better HHS overall, just like the support she received during her time as a teacher. She has also turned her focus to the individual student experience, from advocating for smaller class sizes to helping high schoolers get classes they need into their schedule, and coaching students their stressors.
With her work in Hillsborough coming full circle, Cilio shows dedication for her students, and is using her expertise to improve school life in a broader way.
“Without all the years of them talking to me and experiences with students, I wouldn’t be half of the person that I am today,” Cilio said.
