The West Orange Board of Education chose James O’Neill, a former superintendent in both Roxbury and Chatham schools, on Tuesday to replace Superintendent Anthony Cavanna.

O’Neill will serve as interim superintendent for West Orange schools until June 2013, the board announced at its meeting Tuesday night.

O’Neill has held various administrative roles during his career, including principal and superintendent. He became Chatham's superintendent in 2003 after serving as the principal of Chatham High School for seven years.

He resigned from Chatham in 2011 amid a battle with Gov. Chris Christie over salary caps for superintendents. If O'Neill had remained in Chatham, he would have taken a pay cut of $45,000 to his salary of $210,000.

Most recently, O’Neill served as the interim superintendent of the Roxbury School District for the 2011-12 school year.

“Even though I have spent the bulk of my career elsewhere,” said O’Neill after his appointment, “my style is to become fully immersed, and to be an advocate and integral part of what happens ... in West Orange. It is not my style to do things halfway. 

“I ask people not to make any judgements prior to seeing what actually happens and what takes place .... I won’t make any judgements about anyone else and we’ll start on an even foot.” 

Board President Laura Lab said the board had looked over an unspecified number of candidates for the interim superintendent position before the board decided on O’Neill. 

“We [the board] unanimously approved of Mr. O’Neill after our round of interviews,” said Lab. “We are very excited about Mr. O’Neill coming to the district.” 

O’Neill’s selection must still be approved by Morris Executive County Superintendent Kathleen Serafino; however, O’Neill is scheduled to start as superintendent in the district Thursday. He will earn $673.07 a day.

The appointment comes on the heels of the board placing Cavanna on paid-administrative leave in July. The board has remained tight-lipped and has released little information about its decision to remove Cavanna.

Cavanna is nonetheless still receiving his full salary, according to the board’s labor counsel attorney Philip Stern. Cavanna earns about $220,000 a year, and his four-year contract expires in June 2013.