The Willingboro Board of Education: Navigating Leadership, Education, and Community in Willingboro Township
The Willingboro Board of Education plays a crucial role in shaping the educational landscape of Willingboro Township, Burlington County, New Jersey. As a Type II school district, the board operates independently, setting policies and overseeing the fiscal and educational operations of the district's administration. This article delves into the structure, responsibilities, recent events, and overall vision of the Willingboro Board of Education.
Structure and Governance
The Willingboro Board of Education is composed of nine members elected directly by voters to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis. Since 2012, elections for these seats have been held as part of the November general election, with three seats up for election each year. The board operates as a Type II school district, granting it independence in its functioning.
The current board members are President Debra Williams, Vice President Mrs. Daisy Maxwell-Cisse, Mike Bird, Nehemia Claude, Leah Coleman, April Maxwell-Henley, and Denise King. In the recent election, board members Maxwell-Cisse, Maxwell-Henley, and Coleman were candidates for new terms.
Responsibilities and Vision
The Willingboro 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 Willingboro Township School District.
The board's vision emphasizes collaboration and shared responsibility among students, families, communities, the Board of Education, teachers, support staff, administrators, and local businesses to improve learning and teaching within the Willingboro Public School District. This vision includes:
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- Active family involvement: Families are encouraged to actively participate in their children's learning, sharing their knowledge, assisting teachers, tutoring students, and learning alongside them.
- Empowered teachers: Teachers are viewed as adult learners with administrative support and a professional obligation to become education leaders. They are provided with time for collaboration, reflection, planning, and closer interaction with students.
- Culturally aware and responsible students: Students are seen as ambassadors of their culture and responsible citizens.
- Technologically advanced facilities: The vision includes state-of-the-art technology in schools, with computer terminals and technology used as essential instructional tools.
- Adequate resources: Ensuring sufficient resources to provide inviting facilities, adequate equipment, and a student/teacher ratio that allows each student to achieve their maximum potential.
Curriculum and Programs
Willingboro Board of Education offers a comprehensive curriculum that includes English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, World Language, and more. The district is committed to providing a high-quality education to students from early childhood through high school, with a focus on academic achievement and personal growth. With a dedicated team of administrators, teachers, and staff, Willingboro Board of Education strives to create a supportive and inclusive learning environment. They offer various programs and services, including special education, gifted and talented education, and English as a Second Language instruction. The district also emphasizes the importance of health and physical education, providing resources and support to promote the well-being of students.
Recent Leadership Changes
Recently, the Willingboro Township Public Schools experienced a significant leadership transition. On Monday, Oct. 13, Superintendent Malcolm X. Outlaw was suspended in a unanimous vote of school board members. The reasons for this suspension, which places Outlaw on paid administrative leave for the remainder of the 2025-2026 school year, have not been publicly disclosed by the Board of Education, citing personnel privacy reasons. The resolution identifies the subject of the decision as “Employee 6737.” The period of leave is defined as through June 30, 2026, or until further board action, “whichever comes first.”
The administrative leave resolution stated that during this period the employee shall not have contact with district staff, cabinet members or Board members nor access to district property, records or systems unless expressly authorized by the Board Presidents or designee.
Following Outlaw's suspension, Assistant Superintendent Marti Hill-Parker was appointed as acting superintendent. Hill-Parker acknowledged the potential questions and emotions arising from this change, assuring the community that the district's foundation remains strong and its work continues with integrity. She also thanked Outlaw for his dedicated service and promised updates in the coming weeks.
It was noted that Outlaw was in the last year of his contract. He had previously served as an interim superintendent before assuming the permanent role following Superintendent Neely Hackett's resignation in 2022. His base salary for the current 2024-2025 budget year was listed as $208,000.
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Prior to his suspension, during a board meeting Sept. 22, board members' legal counsel said that Outlaw had filed a notice of a tort claim against the school board. Legal counsel didn't specify what the notice claimed. Board members at that time considered suspending "Employee 6737," but that motion failed on a divided vote.
Financial Information
The Willingboro Township Public Schools' total spending for education is significant. The most recent data available indicates substantial budgetary allocations for classroom instruction, support services, administrative costs, operations & maintenance, and extracurricular activities. According to the NJDoE 2014 Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending, Willingboro Township Public Schools had the following financial metrics:
- Total Spending: \$19,414
- Budgetary Cost: 15,007
- Classroom Instruction: 8,598
- Support Services: 2,201
- Administrative Cost: 1,704
- Operations & Maintenance: 2,225
- Extracurricular Activities: 250
- Median Teacher Salary: 59,452
The district is classified by the New Jersey Department of Education as being in District Factor Group "DE", the fifth-highest of eight groupings. District Factor Groups organize districts statewide to allow comparison by common socioeconomic characteristics of the local districts.
Historical Context
The Willingboro school district has a rich history, marked by periods of growth, adaptation, and a commitment to serving its diverse student population. During the early development of the township, all high school students attended Levittown High School for grades 9-12 (LHS was renamed "Levitt Jr. High School" when the new high school - John F. Kennedy - was opened in 1964). It was the only junior high school, grades 7 through 9, until Memorial Junior High School opened in 1968. The substantial student population at JFK HS required that the school go to split sessions and only was able to house grades 10-12, with the freshmen classes divided between Memorial and Levitt junior high schools. In 1975, Willingboro HS was opened and became the "sister" school, located only about two miles apart - both on JFK Way.
In 1994, the district established a task force on how to combat violence perpetrated by students. The S.W. Bookbinder, J.A. McGinley and Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary Schools were closed at the end of the 2005-06 school year as part of an effort to save about \$3.6 million, through the reduction of as many as 100 staff members and class sizes increased as large as 27 at the five remaining elementary schools.
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Schools in the District
Willingboro Township Public Schools operates eight schools:
- Garfield East Early Childhood Development Center
- J. Cresswell Stuart Early Childhood Development Center
- Hawthorne Elementary School
- W.R. James Sr. Elementary School
- Twin Hills Elementary School
- Country Lakes Alternative Academy
- Willingboro Memorial Middle School
- Willingboro High School
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