The Alexandria School Board unanimously selected Dr. Morton Sherman as the city’s new superintendent of schools on Monday night at a specially called meeting. Sherman, the current superintendent for Tenafly, NJ public school system, has more than 25 years of experience as an academic administrator.

“This is an exciting day for the students of Alexandria City Public Schools and our entire community,” School Board Chairwoman Claire Eberwein said. “Dr. Sherman comes to Alexandria with impeccable credentials and a wide range of experiences that will strongly impact the future of our school system.”

Sherman, 58, will take the place of Interim Superintendent Dr. Bill Symons who buffered the gap left by former school chief Rebecca Perry’s sudden and rocky departure midway through the school year.

“The Alexandria City Public Schools have a terrific and well-deserved national reputation for providing quality education to a diverse student body,” Sherman stated in a press release. “The Alexandria School Board has impressed me with its desire to serve as a national model of success in this emerging century.”

Sherman boasts a long list of success, including sustaining the Tenafly school district’s number two ranking in New Jersey, according to NJ Monthly Magazine.

Board members said that strategic planning will be emphasized under Sherman’s leadership, including the school system’s transparency and cultivating relationships with stakeholders.

Sherman’s first day is August 15. He will visit Alexandria on a limited basis on June 6 and return again on June 18. There are no plans yet for a formal introduction. 

Sherman will make $250,000 a year with his multi-year contract, the ACPS release stated.