Following an extensive nationwide search for a new superintendent, the Cherry Hill School District is on the verge of making a significant appointment from within its own ranks.
Dr. Kwame Morton, who has been serving as the district’s acting superintendent since last summer, is poised to step into the role of Cherry Hill’s head of schools. The Board of Education is scheduled to vote on a resolution Tuesday, seeking approval from the county executive superintendent for Morton’s employment contract, a mandatory step under the law before his formal appointment.
Specific details of the contract, encompassing aspects such as salary and duration, are anticipated to be disclosed following the school board’s vote, which could take place as early as the March 26 Board of Education meeting, as indicated by a district spokesperson.
Dr. Morton has been an integral part of the township’s education system since 2008, initially as the principal of Joyce Kilmer Elementary School. His commendable leadership led him to the position of principal at Cherry Hill High School West from 2013 to 2021, where he received multiple state awards. Before assuming the role of acting superintendent, Dr. Morton served as the district’s assistant superintendent of PreK-12 and curriculum and instruction.
The previous superintendent, Dr. Joseph N. Meloche, departed from the district a year ago to assume the same role in a school district in the Philadelphia suburbs. His resignation prompted the initiation of the superintendent search process, entrusted to the search firm Hazard Young Atea Associates. The comprehensive process involved public input through surveys and focus groups, followed by the school board’s review of applicants from 11 states and subsequent interviews with various candidates.
Cherry Hill, being one of New Jersey’s largest school systems, faces the additional challenge of projected cuts in state funding. With a 19 percent decrease in equalization aid for the next school year, the district anticipates having to make “difficult financial decisions” as it formulates its budget for the 2024-25 school year, according to Dr. Morton and Board President Miriam Stern.
