Moorestown Township Public Schools might be seeing a familiar face in a new role as a staff member of the district has been offered the interim superintendent position.
The Board of Education announced that Carole L. Butler, the district’s director of curriculum and instruction, was offered the position of interim superintendent on Thursday, Nov. 19.
Butler would be taking over for Business Administrator Lynn Shugars who was appointed as acting superintendent effective Sept. 1.
“The Department of Education’s approval of Ms. Shugars’ appointment as acting superintendent, however, expires Dec. 1. The board used this time to conduct a search for an interim superintendent, and has now offered the interim position to Ms. Butler to ensure the district has an educational leader in place for the remainder of the 2015–2016 school year,” Board President Kathy Goldenberg said.
Before Butler is officially appointed, the board must obtain the approval of the executive county superintendent before it can take formal action on Butler’s appointment and contract.
This announcement comes after the search for an interim and new superintendent when, in late July, it was announced that previous superintendent Timothy J. Rehm would resign effective Oct. 26. At the next BOE meeting, on Aug. 11, he announced he would be leaving at the end of the month, two months earlier than expected. Rehm indicated his resignation was family related. Shugars was appointed soon after.
“Due to the timing of Mr. Rehm’s departure as our superintendent, the board had little alternative but to appoint Lynn Shugars as acting superintendent, with the approval of the Department of Education. This appointment was made just weeks before the beginning of the 2015–2016 school year, since the board believed it was essential to have a superintendent in place for the start of the new school year,” Goldenberg said.
Even though MTPS has a reputation for being one of the top performing districts, the position of superintendent has experienced a lot of turnover in recent years.
Rehm was the third superintendent who left the school district within the past three years. The first was the retirement of John Bach in 2012 after five years with MTPS and the sudden resignation of Brian Betze in 2013.
Butler has been with Moorestown Township Public Schools since 2007, when she was appointed principal of William Allen Middle School. In 2012, she left that position to become the district’s director of curriculum and instruction, the position she currently holds.
Butler has 26 years in public education. Prior to coming to Moorestown, Butler was the assistant principal of Montgomery Middle School in Skillman, as well as the principal of the Montgomery Summer Enrichment Program.
Butler earned her bachelor’s degree at Eastern College, and is certified in early childhood, elementary education and special education in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Georgia. She earned her master’s degree from Villanova University in administration and supervision.
According to Goldenberg, the board will now proceed with its search for a permanent superintendent, which has been its goal since Rehm resigned. The board intends to conduct and complete its search for a permanent superintendent with the objective of appointing someone to fill this position as of July 1. The board is in the process of appointing a professional search consultant or firm to conduct this search.
