What started as a three-year promise turned into a 32-year career. Dr. Phil Nisonoff came to the Emerson Public Schools from southern New Jersey in 1994 as a business administrator. He promised his wife, Jen, that he’d try the position for a few years. Nisonoff never looked back until now. Nisonoff retired on December 23, 2025.
“I feel really sad about leaving,” Nisonoff said. “I have so many friends in Emerson. I’ve spent most of my life in Emerson, and I’m so proud of all that we do and all we’ve accomplished. It’s kind of hard for me to even think about not being here after being here 32 years.”
Nisonoff and his wife raised their four children – Hunter, Tyler, Spencer, and Sophie – in Emerson. He worked as a business administrator, assistant superintendent, and later superintendent but said he always made time for family.
“I didn’t miss any events that Sophie, my daughter, had or any award ceremonies, and I made most of her games, but not all of them,” Nisonoff said. “The challenge was that all parents want their children to have a normal, regular childhood and school experience, and so we worked hard to make sure that my role as superintendent had no interference with her education.”
Principal of Patrick M. Villano School, Jessica Espinoza, has mixed feelings about Nisonoff’s retirement.
“I am both happy and sad about Dr. Nisonoff’s retirement,” she said. “I am happy for Dr. Nisonoff as his retirement is well-deserved. He has given so much of himself to Emerson Public Schools, and we have been very fortunate to have him in his roles in Emerson. I am sad to no longer work alongside him each day. He was always a calming presence and brought a lot of common sense to his position. He also always puts students first.”
Joshua Choe, a sixth-grade student, shared his thoughts about Nisonoff. “I liked [Nisonoff] because he was kind, caring, and did a lot for this school,” Choe said.
“There are so many things that we have accomplished, especially on the physical improvements that we’ve made to the schools, some of which you see everyday and some of which you don’t,” Nisonoff said.
He said he’s proud of the colleges that high school seniors go to when they graduate from Emerson Junior-Senior High School. Nisonoff added that he’s proud of the awards that Emerson high school students have won for their advanced placement scores. He also mentioned the succeess and popularity of the music and arts programs in the district.
“I’m reluctant to claim any one as my favorite because the truth is that all my accomplishments were not really my accomplishments alone,” Nisonoff said.
In his retirement, Nisonoff plans to spend more time with his first grandchild and spending more time on a soccer field.
“A large hobby of mine is refereeing soccer, and I’m going on a cruise in January,” he added.
Dr. Jillian Torrento will step into the superintendent’s role on February 1, 2026. Before coming to Emerson, Torrento worked as the superintendent in Hasbrouck Heights and held other education positions. Nisonoff shared his thoughts about the transition.
“Dr. Jillian Torrento will be great, and I think all the kids and the teachers and the community are going to love her,” he said.
“I am excited for our new superintendent, Dr. Jillian Torrento, to start in February,” Espinoza added. “The experience and knowledge she will bring to the position are sure to maintain all of the excellent work we do in our schools here in Emerson. In addition, she is likely to bring fresh ideas, so we can continue to grow.”
“I love Emerson schools so much,” Nisonoff said.”I’m so proud of all of our kids. I’m so proud of all of our teachers and administrators here, and in Emerson I believe we have the best school system in the state of New Jersey, and I’m going to miss just being a part of it and finding solutions to problems, thinking about ways to improve and seeing all the success of all of our children.”
