When Dr. Joseph Meloche began exploring new career opportunities in late 2022, he wasn’t necessarily planning to leave his position as superintendent in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. “I was in the second year of a five-year contract, and I was thinking, what are the next 10 years of my life going to look like?” he recalls.
It was a suggestion from someone he trusted that led him to Rose Tree Media School District. After doing some research around Thanksgiving and beginning the application process in early 2023, Dr. Meloche grew increasingly drawn to the district. “The more time that I spent coming over, meeting with the board of school directors, and doing deeper research, the more interested I was,” he says.
Now nearly a year into the role, he reflects: “The district is even better on the inside than the advertisements and the discussions that take place on the outside.” For Dr. Meloche, what makes it unique is the shared investment in students’ success: “There is an intimate sense of community… a commitment from folks; parents, former parents, community members, business owners. They all demand the best in the educational system. But they also want to be part of making it the best. That doesn’t happen everywhere.”
Dr. Meloche speaks just as highly of the district’s staff. “There is such an incredibly dedicated staff, from the maintenance guys cutting the grass, to the custodians, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, teachers, assistants, secretaries, and administrators,” he says. “It’s just been amazing to be here. I am happy getting in my car and driving to work every day.”
As superintendent, he oversees the full operation of the district. “Our first responsibility is the safety and security of the children,” Dr. Meloche says. “And the staff. That’s the foundational piece.” He works directly with the district’s six building principals, along with directors of facilities and management operations.
One of the most exciting efforts currently underway is the development of a new full-day kindergarten and first-grade center, a project Dr. Meloche says has taken up much of his time over the past two years. “It’s one of the most exciting projects I’ve ever been involved in,” he says. “It’s truly going to provide generational change within this community.”
He’s clear about the benefits of moving to a full-day model. “We’ll be able to dramatically expand children’s opportunities for language acquisition, literacy development, structured play, and peer interaction,” he explains. “We’ll support them in learning how to deal with conflict, challenges, and group dynamics, all in a way that’s safe and developmentally appropriate.”
Having kindergarten and first grade in one space will offer continuity of experience. “It will bring the community together because families will meet one another. Children will be together,” he says. “Then they’ll return to their home elementary school for second through fifth grade and come back together in junior high. It's just it's incredibly exciting of what we can do and what we can provide. And again, we provide a wonderful education for children and families right now.”
The district communicates regularly through Board of Education work sessions and legislative meetings, held on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month. “We maintain a website, and we’ve had the architects, finance folks, and engineers present throughout the last six months. Every presentation is posted online,” Dr. Meloche says.
Curriculum development involves a mix of state standards, teacher input, and collaboration with local colleges and universities. “We just adopted a new English Language Arts program called Amplify for kids in 5th through 8th grades, and CKLA program at the lower elementary level,” Dr. Meloche says.
The new programs aim to ensure continuity in how reading and writing are taught. A new website section is also planned for fall 2025 to provide even more transparency: “Families or community members will be able to go online and see what’s being taught in 3rd grade language arts or in 4th grade math,” he says.
Most district staff already hold advanced degrees, Dr. Meloche says. “The majority have at least one master’s degree, and some have two. We also have staff who are National Board Certified, which is a rigorous process.” The district also provides in-house professional development and in-service training each year.
Dr. Meloche stays connected to students through regular school visits and end-of-year events. “These past few weeks have been wonderful,” he says. “I was at four 5th grade ceremonies today and yesterday. High school graduation was last week.”
He also conducts town hall-style focus groups with middle and high school students every quarter. “We talk about what’s going well, what should be improved, and what they’re experiencing,” he says. The students are open and honest. “Once the ice is broken, they’ll tell me what they think. One of the things I always find better from children is that they’re very direct,” he adds.
Their input has already influenced district decisions. “When we piloted the new language arts program, students told us they were spending too much time on Chromebooks,” he explains. “So we changed it by reducing the computer time based on their feedback.”
In elementary schools, Dr. Meloche visits and reads to classes or entire grade levels. “If I have 90 minutes during the day, I’ll drive out to a school, tour the building with principals or walk through a building by myself, and pop into classrooms,” he says. “I’ll stop at a desk and ask a child what they’re working on.”
He also attends plays, concerts, and athletic events. “Those are the joyful parts of the job,” he says. “Educators can never truly have a bad day when they’re around children. Children bring joy. All you have to do is talk to them and that comes back to you.”
As the district looks ahead, Dr. Meloche hopes even more community members will get involved. He says, “If people have suggestions or thoughts, I hope they’ll reach out to me.”