miriam stern
Miriam is a longtime advocate for special education, a Cherry Hill Public School parent of a neurodiverse child, and the first LGBTQ Board President in Cherry Hill history.
An MSW and LCSW, Miriam is founder and executive director of Meridian Counseling Services. Working in the behavioral health realm fosters and reinforces her understanding of the vital importance of mental health supports in all stages of life — including that of children and teens, which has greatly influenced her time on the Board of Education.
Read on for highlights of Miriam’s successes on the Board:
- Long history of advocacy for fair funding – insuring that Cherry Hill gets more funding from the state to relieve the burden on taxpayers
- Overseeing renovation to improve our school facilities and ensure modern, safe, healthy buildings – which will impact property values
- When achievement challenges and disparities in math were evident on the West side, she voted to add math coaches and supports for struggling students
- Voted in favor of the appointment of acting superintendent, Dr. Kwame Morton, the first Black superintendent in Cherry Hill history
- Was on the board as Cherry Hill launched the first required African American studies course in the history of NJ
- Supported Dr. Kwame Morton, when, in one of his first acts as acting superintendent, he added teachers at Thomas Paine and Brett Harte to ease the concerns that parents raised about the impact of large class size on their children’s mental health
- When parents, especially parents of color, raised concerns about discrimination and overly intrusive school crisis policies, Miriam led the initiative to work with the state and the board to revise the policy and to create a policy that keeps students safe, but is more equitable and reasonable for families.
corrien elmore-stratton
Corrien’s professional life has been dedicated to creating opportunities for young leaders to learn, grow, and thrive. Her passion for positive youth development and community engagement informed her decision to first run for the Cherry Hill Board of Education in 2020. She is committed to strengthening the collaboration between schools, families, and community partners to foster a culture of excellence and innovation.
As a Cherry Hill West alumna, Corrien had great teachers. Now she pays that experience forward by serving as Chair of the Board’s HR committee, helping make the policies to hire your favorite teacher. Committed to an excellent, well-supported, and diverse workforce that reflects our community, she is also an active member of the Cherry Hill African American Civic Association.
Her accomplishments as a member of the Board of Education include:
- Supports ongoing renovation to improve our school facilities and ensure modern, safe, healthy buildings – which will impact property values
- Voted in favor of the appointment of acting superintendent, Dr. Kwame Morton, the first Black superintendent in Cherry Hill history
- Was on the board as Cherry Hill launched the first required African American studies course in the history of NJ
- Supported Dr. Kwame Morton, when, in one of his first acts as acting superintendent, he added teachers at Thomas Paine and Brett Harte to ease the concerns that parents raised about the impact of large class size on their children’s mental health
- When achievement challenges and disparities in math were evident on the West side, she voted to add math coaches and supports for struggling students
- Leads the HR committee which has shown a steadfast commitment to excellent and diverse staff in CHPS
- She is a Cherry Hill West alum