Moorestown Township Public Schools

The Moorestown Township Public Schools (MTPS) is a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade from Moorestown, in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.[3]

Moorestown Township Public Schools
Address
803 North Stanwick Road
, Burlington County, New Jersey, 08057
United States
Coordinates39°58′59″N 74°56′36″W / 39.983044°N 74.943329°W / 39.983044; -74.943329
District information
GradesPreK to 12
SuperintendentJoe Bollendorf (interim)
Business administratorJames Heiser
Schools6
Students and staff
Enrollment3,884 (as of 2022–23)[1]
Faculty345.5 FTEs[1]
Student–teacher ratio11.2:1[1]
Other information
District Factor GroupI
Websitewww.mtps.com
Ind. Per pupil District
spending
Rank
(*)
K-12
average
%± vs.
average
1ATotal Spending$17,90242$18,891−5.2%
1Budgetary Cost14,1754514,783−4.1%
2Classroom Instruction8,393378,763−4.2%
6Support Services2,569722,3927.4%
8Administrative Cost1,279241,485−13.9%
10Operations & Maintenance1,453301,783−18.5%
13Extracurricular Activities42410226858.2%
16Median Teacher Salary59,6102764,043
Data from NJDoE 2014 Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending.[2]
*Of K-12 districts with more than 3,500 students. Lowest spending=1; Highest=103

As of the 2022–23 school year, the district, comprising six schools, had an enrollment of 3,884 students and 345.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.2:1.[1]

The district is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group "I", the second-highest of eight groupings. District Factor Groups organize districts statewide to allow comparison by common socioeconomic characteristics of the local districts. From lowest socioeconomic status to highest, the categories are A, B, CD, DE, FG, GH, I and J.[4]

Notably, the district was part of a lawsuit in 2003 called Hornstine v. Township of Moorestown over attempted policy changes made by Moorestown High School.

History

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In 1948, during de jure educational segregation in the United States, the district had separate elementary and junior high schools for white children and a combined such school for black children. The school for black children lacked language and mathematics courses offered at the white junior high school which meant, according to Noma Jensen of the Journal of Negro Education, black entrants to the high school were unable to get into science nor classical education streams as their prior education rendered entry "virtually impossible".[5]

Awards and recognition

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For the 1991-92 school year, George C. Baker Elementary School was recognized with the National Blue Ribbon Award of Excellence from the United States Department of Education, the highest honor that an American school can achieve. Moorestown High School was recognized as a Blue Ribbon School for the 1999-2000 school year.[6]

Schools

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Schools in the district (with 2022–23 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics)[7] are:[8][9][10][11]

Elementary schools
  • George C. Baker Elementary School[12] with 397 students in grades PreK-3
    • Shelly Rowe, principal[8]
  • Mary E. Roberts Elementary School[13] with 313 students in grades PreK-3
    • Brian Carter, principal[8]
  • South Valley Elementary School[14] with 392 students in grades PreK-3
    • Heather Hackl, principal[8]
  • Moorestown Upper Elementary School[15] with 853 students in grades 4-6
    • Susan Powell, principal[8]
Middle school
  • William Allen Middle School[16] with 616 students in grades 7-8
    • Cheryl Carravano, principal[8]
High school

Administration

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Core members of the district's administration are:[8][18]

  • Joe Bollendorf, interim superintendent[19]
  • James Heiser, business administrator and board secretary

The school district has had several superintendents, acting superintendents and interim superintendents over the span of a decade. John Bach retired in 2012 after being the superintendent for five years. Brian Betze started as superintendent in July 2012 and would resign after only 1 year in the job.[20] Lynn Shugars, the district's business administrator at the time, would serve as acting superintendent. Timothy Rehm would then be hired as interim superintendent in February 2014 and then became the permanent superintendent. He resigned in October 2015.[21] Carole Butler, the district's Director of Curriculum and Instruction, would serve as acting superintendent. Despite community support for her becoming the permanent superintendent, Scott McCartney was hired for the job in 2016.[22] McCartney would retire in June 2021 and Leonard Fitts became the interim superintendent until Michael Volpe became the next permanent superintendent in December.[23] Volpe resigned after only 1 year to become superintendent in his hometown of Hillsborough. Joseph Bollendorf would then become the interim superintendent.[19]

Board of education

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The district's board of education, composed of nine members, sets policy and oversees the fiscal and educational operation of the district through its administration. As a Type II school district, the board's trustees are elected directly by voters to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with three seats up for election each year held (since 2012) as part of the November general election. The board appoints a superintendent to oversee the district's day-to-day operations and a business administrator to supervise the business functions of the district.[24][25][26]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d District information for Moorestown Township Public School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.
  2. ^ Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending April 2013, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 15, 2013.
  3. ^ Moorestown Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Moorestown Township Public Schools. Accessed February 19, 2024. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Pre-Kindergarten through twelve in the Moorestown Township School District. Composition: The Moorestown Township School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Moorestown Township."
  4. ^ NJ Department of Education District Factor Groups (DFG) for School Districts, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed October 4, 2014.
  5. ^ Jensen, Noma (Winter 1948). "A Survey of Segregation Practices in the New Jersey School System". The Journal of Negro Education. 17 (1). Journal of Negro Education: 84–88. JSTOR 2966093. - CITED: p. 85.
  6. ^ Blue Ribbon Schools Program: Schools Recognized 1982-1983 through 1999-2002 (PDF), United States Department of Education. Accessed February 19, 2024.
  7. ^ School Data for the Moorestown Township Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h Administration, Moorestown Township Public Schools. Accessed February 19, 2024.
  9. ^ Public Schools Directory 2023–2024, Burlington County, New Jersey. Accessed March 1, 2024.
  10. ^ School Performance Reports for the Elsinboro Township School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 3, 2024.
  11. ^ New Jersey School Directory for the Moorestown Township Public Schools, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.
  12. ^ George C. Baker Elementary School, Moorestown Township Public Schools. Accessed February 19, 2024.
  13. ^ Mary E. Roberts Elementary School, Moorestown Township Public Schools. Accessed February 19, 2024.
  14. ^ South Valley Elementary School, Moorestown Township Public Schools. Accessed February 19, 2024.
  15. ^ Moorestown Upper Elementary School, Moorestown Township Public Schools. Accessed February 19, 2024.
  16. ^ William Allen Middle School, Moorestown Township Public Schools. Accessed February 19, 2024.
  17. ^ Moorestown High School, Moorestown Township Public Schools. Accessed February 19, 2024.
  18. ^ New Jersey School Directory for Burlington County, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.
  19. ^ a b Rutuno-Johnson, Michelle (December 16, 2022). "Interim Superintendent Appointed At Moorestown Schools". Patch Media. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  20. ^ Scott, Rob (May 23, 2012). "Moorestown BOE Welcomes New Superintendent". Patch Media. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  21. ^ "Moorestown superintendent resigns, but leaves with regret". The Sun Newspapers. July 31, 2015. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  22. ^ Caffrey, Michelle (May 3, 2016). "Why can't this top school district keep a superintendent?". NJ.com. Advance Publications. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  23. ^ Bellano, Anthony (October 21, 2021). "Moorestown School District Names New Superintendent". Patch Media. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  24. ^ New Jersey Boards of Education by District Election Types - 2018 School Election, New Jersey Department of Education, updated February 16, 2018. Accessed January 26, 2020.
  25. ^ Annual Comprehensive Financial Report of the Moorestown Township School District, New Jersey Department of Education, for year ending June 30, 2023. Accessed February 19, 2024. "The Moorestown Township Public School District (hereafter referred to as the 'District') is a Type II district located in the County of Burlington, State of New Jersey. As a Type II district, the School District functions independently through a Board of Education. The Board is comprised of nine members elected to three-year terms. These terms are staggered so that three members’ terms expire each year. The purpose of the District is to educate students in grades kindergarten through twelfth."
  26. ^ Meet the Board of Education, Moorestown Township Public Schools. Accessed February 19, 2024. "The Moorestown Board of Education is comprised of nine members who are elected for a three year term."
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