Cherry Hill High School East principal Daniel Finkle to resign
The news comes days after a former assistant principal accused Finkle of discriminatory behavior and failure to follow safety protocols in a lawsuit.
The principal of Cherry Hill High School East, Daniel Finkle, is resigning effective Nov. 10, according to an email sent to families Tuesday. The news comes days after a former assistant principal, in a lawsuit, accused Finkle of discriminatory behavior and failure to follow safety protocols.
According to the email, Finkle has taken a position at another high school in New Jersey to become the “educational leader” there. He tendered his resignation to Superintendent Kwame Morton on Tuesday morning, the email said.
The school board approved Finkle’s resignation at its Tuesday night meeting.
In the email, Finkle said he was “filled with gratitude” for his time at East.
“From the very first day, you welcomed me with kindness, encouragement, and trust. That support gave me the strength to lead with purpose and the confidence to make changes that I believe have helped put our students first,” he said.
The email did not specify Finkle’s new school or who would next serve as East’s principal.
Finkle has been the principal of East since August 2024. Prior to coming to Cherry Hill, he spent 12 years at Delran High School in Burlington County. Finkle has served in teaching and administrative roles in both private and public schools across New Jersey.
Finkle replaced Dennis Perry, who served as principal of East from 2016 until his retirement in 2024. Finkle was hired in May 2024 at a salary of $181,765.
In a statement, Morton, the district superintendent, said: “I am appreciative of the time Dan spent in the district working for us, serving the Cherry Hill High School East community. I wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”
The Cherry Hill school district been embroiled in controversy in recent months after the dismissal of assistant principal David Francis-Maurer prompted student protests and heated school board meetings.
Francis-Maurer sued the school district Monday, alleging he was subjected to discrimination and a “calculated campaign of targeted retaliation,” culminating in his dismissal, after blowing the whistle on Finkle’s alleged discriminatory behavior and rebuff of safety protocols.