Search For New Superintendent Continues In Moorestown

MOORESTOWN, NJ — A group of 41 applicants seeking to become the next superintendent of the Moorestown Public School District has been narrowed to 10, district officials said during a special board of education meeting Tuesday night.

Leonard Fitts is currently serving as the school district’s interim superintendent following the resignation of Scott McCartney earlier this year. He will serve through June 30, 2022, or until the board selects a permanent superintendent. Read more here: Moorestown School Board Appoints Interim Superintendent

At least one parent would like to see Fitts stay as long as he can.

“No one has had anything negative to say about Dr. Fitts,” Sarah Rivera said during the public comment portion of Tuesday night’s meeting. “I encourage you to keep him around as long as you can, whatever the maximum time he can be here. He’s been a welcome breath of fresh air.”

She made the comments before the Board of Education went in to closed session to discuss the superintendent search. The Board of Education retained the services of Hazard, Young Attea & Associates (HYA), a consulting firm that specializes in assisting school boards in identifying and recruiting executive-level educational leaders to conduct the search.

It also consulted members of the community to come up with a set of desired characteristics they feel the next superintendent should have. That list of characteristics can be found on the school district’s website.

According to district officials, out of the 41 applicants:

• 23 are currently superintendents;
• 9 are assistant superintendents;
• 4 are education directors or executive directors;
• 3 are principals;
• 1 is an adjunct professor;
• 21 are from New Jersey;
• 7 are from New York;
• 6 are from Pennsylvania;
• 2 are from Maryland;
• There is 1 each from Michigan, Nevada, Florida and Virginia. The Michigan and Nevada candidates have experience working in New Jersey schools;
• 32 have doctoral degrees;
• 8 have master’s degrees;
• 25 are men; and
• 16 are women.

Officials said 10 most clearly meet the characteristics the district is looking for in a new superintendent. The Board of Education is looking to begin the interview process on Saturday.