Southampton School District Gets New Superintendent

The Southampton Union Free School District Board of Education has named national award-winning veteran educator Fatima Morrell to be the next superintendent of schools, starting this summer, officials said.

The board voted to appoint Morrell, who has more than 30 years of experience — most recently in the Buffalo Public Schools system — following a search in collaboration with Eastern Suffolk BOCES before hiring the new superintendent, who is scheduled to officially start on July 8.

“Together we will continue to advance the educational excellence, innovation, and outstanding achievements of the Southampton UFSD community,” Morrell said. “I look forward to working collaboratively with the diverse district stakeholders to provide best-in-class educational opportunities that prepare all students to meet and exceed the challenges of the 21st century workforce and global economy.”

With more than 1,300 students, the Southampton school district is one of the largest of the two dozen districts across the East End, which is home to some of the smallest districts on Long Island.

Morrell graduated from the State University of New York at Buffalo with her Bachelor of Arts, Master of Education and Doctor of Education degrees and earned her New York State certification for School District Administrator from Buffalo State College. She also studied educational leadership and school reform at Harvard University’s Principals’ Institute, where she got her Leadership Development Certification. That is in additional to studying abroad in Spain, Mexico and South Africa.

Time magazine in 2022 named Morrell a National Innovative Teacher. Last year she won the National School Boards Association 2023 Magna Award and Buffalo’s Excellence in Education 2023 Trailblazer of the Year Award. And in 2021, she was a recipient of a Pulitzer Center Grant and gained international recognition for the Emancipation Curriculum. She is nationally recognized for her efforts to improve special education programming.

Morrell first started as an English and Spanish teacher at Kensington-Prep High School, then taught Spanish at the Dr. Charles R. Drew Science Magnet School before she became an administrator who has served as an elementary and secondary principal as well as an assistant superintendent of curriculum, assessment and instruction. She served three years as the Buffalo Public Schools’ Chief of Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiatives.

SunHe Sherwood-Dudley, president of the board of education, said, “With her global thinking, 21st century leadership competencies and expansive educational knowledge, we are confident she aligns with our district’s values and vision for the future and will not only uphold but, enhance Southampton’s already strong foundation of excellence.”