Retiring Sparta schools’ chief offered new position

SPARTA — After a surprise announcement by the Sparta Board of Education on May 21 that Superintendent Dr. Thomas Morton will be retiring as of June 30, Morton confirmed that his retirement from New Jersey public education will mark the beginning of his tenure in a New York public school district.

Clarkstown Central School District’s Board President Doug Katz announced Tuesday that after a several month search, the board has selected a new superintendent and that it will be Sparta’s departing Superintendent Morton.

Morton told the Independent that he had not intended to look for another position when he first considered retiring from Sparta this year. He said he had already decided to submit his retirement paperwork to the New Jersey Department of Education when he received a letter from a professional search firm asking him to apply for the Clarkstown position. He said he discussed the possibility with his family and they encouraged him to apply.

When his retirement announcement came last week, Morton was not at liberty to discuss the Clarkstown position as negotiations were still underway. Clarkstown’s departing superintendent is leaving to accept a position with a Buffalo area school district.

New York does not have a salary cap for superintendents, as was implemented in New Jersey in 2010. A new superintendent in Sparta would earn $167,500 and with raises could make no more than the cap of $175,000. Morton came to Sparta in 2002 and was just two years into his third contract with the district, which was set to expire in 2015. That contract was finalized prior to the implementation of the salary cap and Morton’s salary was $235,207. He will receive a comparable salary at Clarkstown, and since he will be working out of state, he will also receive his New Jersey public schools pension.

Clarkstown used consultants from School Leadership, LLC to gather information from school and community focus groups on the qualities and qualifications necessary for a CCSD superintendent. This information was used to supplement information already compiled by the board of education and was used to guide the board in their search process.

Morton was one of three finalists for the CCSD position after the initial first round of interviews. The three then went through further interviews and met with district leaders until the winning candidate was announced this week.

Sparta is just now embarking on its own search for a new superintendent and requests for applicants have already gone out to local papers. It is not known yet whether the Sparta BOE will conduct the search on their own or elicit the help of a search firm.

Morton said he has mixed feelings about leaving Sparta. “There are some very good people here in this community. There are excellent teachers and excellent students and the district is poised to make great strides in the future. There is a lot here I will miss.”