Kilmer Principal Named to Succeed Meloche at Cherry Hill West

Kwame Morton Sr. won't be moving far down Chapel Avenue in his new position with the school district, but the new principal at Cherry Hill West said it's professionally a step toward the pinnacle after the school board officially approved his appointment Tuesday night.

Morton, who previously worked as a school principal in Philadelphia and as an assistant principal in New York City, said it was huge even to just have the chance to be considered for the position at West, let alone to get it after just five years in the district, where he's served as Joyce Kilmer Elementary's principal.

“For me to have the opportunity to move on to Cherry Hill West is really like a dream,” he said.

His track record at Kilmer speaks for itself, Superintendent Maureen Reusche said, pointing to the narrowing achievement gap at the school, as well as Morton's work to get the school designated as a No Place for Hate school by the Anti-Defamation League in both 2011 and 2012.

“He is a leader who is quiet, yet very respected by his peers,” she said.

While it'll be a switch moving from the elementary school level to the high school, Morton, a father of 10 kids who range from preschool to high school age, said the patience his own flock has taught him will serve him well.

“My relationship with my children has really allowed me to be able to relate to children of all different ages and all different stages,” he said.

Morton's appointment comes just two months after soon-to-be former principal Joseph Meloche was named as the district's new director of curriculum, and Meloche heaped praise on his successor.

“Dr. Morton is a fantastic person,” Meloche said. “I'm absolutely thrilled he's going to be taking over at High School West. He's an incredibly bright man, he very reflective, he's very student-focused and he's a worker.”

Two of Meloche's daughters will be students at West next year, giving him some personal stake in who stepped in, and Meloche said Morton was the ideal choice as his replacement.

“He dedicates an incredible amount of time to making sure each student's needs are met and that they have the opportunity to be successful,” Meloche said.

Morton, who will make $150,000 as West's principal, officially moves to his new post July 1.