Preschool Leadership Bolstered

Bridget Bollendorf, Melissa McMahon Appointed to Assistant Principal Roles in District’s Preschool Program

 

For Immediate Release
August 18, 2026

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP – The Washington Township Public Schools and Board of Education recently approved the appointments of two assistant principals at the preschool levels. Bridget Bollendorf is the new assistant principal at Grenloch Terrace Early Childhood Center, while Melissa McMahon has been named interim assistant principal at Walls Elementary School.

“We are thrilled to have Bridget Bollendorf join our preschool administrative team and to have Melissa McMahon step up into an assistant principal position,” Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Tricia Holmes said. “Bridget and Melissa are strong leaders with a passion for early childhood education. We look forward to having them lead their buildings and staff as we provide preschool education to every child in Washington Township.” 

Bridget Bollendorf brings 13 years of educational experience to her role as assistant principal at Grenloch Terrace. She started her career in Philadelphia before spending nine years in Winslow Township as a classroom teacher and reading development teacher. At Winslow, Bollendorf was named the district’s 2021 Teacher of the Year. Most recently, she served as a first-grade teacher in the Clayton Public Schools while completing her administrative internship and earning her Master’s degree in School Leadership from Wilmington University.

A graduate of Kutztown University with certifications in Early Childhood Education and Special Education, Bollendorf has experience in general education, special education, literacy intervention, differentiated instruction, and school leadership. Her return to Washington Township is especially meaningful, as she is a 2009 Washington Township High School graduate who began her own educational journey as a kindergarten student at Grenloch Terrace. 

Bollendorf is excited to return to the community that helped shape her as both a student and educator, and to support the continued growth of Washington Township’s preschool program.

Seasoned early childhood educator and administrator Melissa McMahon has assumed interim building leadership at WTPS’s newest in-district location, Walls Elementary School. Bringing 16 years of dedicated experience in early childhood education and district leadership, McMahon transitions into her role following a successful tenure as Washington Township’s Preschool Program Supervisor at Grenloch Terrace. Since 2022, she has played a pivotal role in operational planning, budgeting, and ensuring full compliance with New Jersey Department of Education regulations across provider preschools.

McMahon’s administrative career is built on years of classroom instruction in the Vineland Public Schools (2009-22) as a preschool, in-class resource, and kindergarten teacher, providing a strong foundation in early childhood development and inclusive education.

“Stepping into Walls Preschool is an exciting opportunity to help shape Washington Township’s newest early learning environment,” McMahon said. “I look forward to collaborating with our staff, administrators, and families to ensure our young learners receive a high-quality educational experience.”

- WTPS -