CHERRY HILL, NJ — After a lengthy, nationwide search for a new superintendent, the Cherry Hill School District is set to fill the position from within.
Dr. Kwame Morton is slated to become Cherry Hill’s head of schools. The longtime administrator has been the district’s acting superintendent since last summer, when his predecessor left the district.
The Board of Education will vote Tuesday on a resolution to submit Morton’s employment contract for the county executive superintendent’s approval. The approval is required by law before the district can formally appoint Morton to the role.
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Details of the contract, including salary and duration, won’t be disclosed until the school board can vote to approve Morton for the position. That vote could happen as soon as March 26’s Board of Education meeting, according to a district spokesperson.
Morton entered the township school system in 2008, when he became principal of Joyce Kilmer Elementary School. From 2013-21, he served as principal of Cherry Hill High School West, earning multiple state awards.
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Before becoming acting superintendent, Morton was the district’s assistant superintendent of PreK-12 and curriculum and instruction.
Dr. Joseph N. Meloche was the district’s previous superintendent. One year ago, a school district in the Philadelphia suburbs hired Meloche for the same role. He resigned from Cherry Hill at the end of June to begin his new position with the Rose Tree Media School District — based in Media, Pennsylvania.
Cherry Hill has been looking for a new superintendent since last June, with search firm Hazard Young Atea Associates appointed to conduct the nationwide search. The process has included public input via surveys and focus groups, the school board’s review of applicants from 11 states, and board interviews with several candidates.
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Cherry Hill, one of New Jersey’s largest school systems, must also navigate projected cuts in state funding. The district is set to receive $29.5 million in equalization aid for the next school year — a 19 percent decrease over the current fiscal year.
As a result, the district will face “difficult financial decisions” in setting its budget for the 2024-25 school year, according to Morton and Board President Miriam Stern. Read more: Massive State-Aid Cuts For Cherry Hill Schools Projected Next Year
The next school board meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Arthur Lewis Administration Building (45 Ranoldo Terrace). View the agenda here.
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