Dr. Courtney McNeely, currently superintendent of the Pittsgrove Township School District, will begin her new role in January.
The Moorestown Board of Education has announced the appointment of Dr. Courtney McNeely as its new superintendent.
McNeely – currently superintendent of the Pittsgrove Township School District – will assume her role in Moorestown no later than January. Her contract is for five years, with a salary of $225,000 in the first year and 2% increases in each of the following four years, according to 70and73.com.
The board voted 6-3 in favor of McNeely, with President Mark Villanueva, Vice President Cheryl Makopoulos and members Jill Fallows Macaluso, Brooke Mailhiot, Danielle Miller and Claudine Morano voting yes. Melissa Arcaro Burns, Maurice Weeks and Jaclyn Barnes voted no.
“ … I feel that an internal candidate would bring not only a comprehensive grasp of our district’s operations but also establish relationships with staff, students and families,” Arcaro Burns said. “This has been my belief since the very first meeting, where I sat at this dais.
“This foundation, I believe, is crucial for effective leadership,” she added, “and would allow for a smoother transition, as well as immediate, informed action on our district’s priorities. And we have some pressing ones in the immediate future.”
“ … It has been a really long time coming in the search for our superintendent,” Miller allowed. “Dr. McNeely not only showed us that she has the qualifications, the passion for public education … and a willingness to be visible within the community, but most notably, she has experience as a sitting superintendent.
“I fully support Dr. McNeely, and I look forward to moving the district forward in a positive direction under her new leadership.”
The new superintendent signs her contract as board President Mark Villanueva and Vice President Cheryl Makopoulos look on.
A comprehensive search process that involved input from the community through surveys, forums and meetings with district staff and administration yielded the framework the board used to identify the desired the best attributes of a superintendent.
“She is going on 25 years of her career in education, (with a) wealth of knowledge and credentials and background that … I am confident are going to continue to move our district forward,” Villanueva said as the board made its announcement during an Oct. 15 meeting.
“She is a great person,” he added. “It shines through, it will shine through when she meets all of you, and I am confident you will agree that she is a good person that has, in her heart, the interest of the students and our staff in this district of really moving us forward, as her priority.”
McNeely began her career at the Northern Burlington Regional School District as a middle-school English teacher. She did that for 12 years, then spent six years as a director of humanities. For the next four years, she was assistant superintendent at Buena Regional, then became superintendent in Pittsgrove.
“I am honored to join Moorestown Township public schools and eager to partner with our dynamic, engaged community,” McNeely noted. “Together, we will build on our district’s rich legacy of excellence and shape an innovative, forward-thinking future for Moorestown that is grounded in strong, lasting relationships.”
To watch the board’s meeting in its entirety, search MoorestownNJ BOE on YouTube.
