The Kenilworth Board of Education last night offered a contract to David Brearley Middle-High School Principal Jeremy Davies to the position of Superintendent of Kenilworth Public Schools. Mr. Davies will be formally appointed on June 19, 2024 after the Executive County Superintendent reviews the terms of the employment contract.
Mr. Davies will succeed Mr. Kyle Arlington who served the district with distinction since 2019. Board of Education President Dr. Michelle Panichi stated, “Mr. Jeremy Davies has been a respected member of our school community for four years and will continue to be a presence for our students and families. We expect that Mr. Davies will continue to move our district forward, and with his kindness and support, we welcome him as he begins his work. We look forward to gathering together for some upcoming welcome and community engagement events.”
In the four years Davies served as principal, he designed and built STEM and Esports programs, a Digital Sound Engineering lab, and a flourishing Dance program with a studio. This focus on the Arts and STEM, as well as his initiatives to increase classroom rigor and instructional urgency, have fostered a dynamic Brearley learning environment that is improving student engagement and achievement. Additionally, Davies has shored up college and career readiness by transforming the Counseling Department into a robust hub of the school, working to support students in finding their individualized, post-secondary paths. Speaking on his qualities, Superintendent Arlington stated, “Over the past four years, Mr. Davies has been a critical member of our leadership team. He has shown strong leadership in executing his academic vision, solving complex problems, and building relationships. I know he will bring his abilities and strengths in these areas into the superintendent role and continue to advance our district.”
Previously, Davies has served as an administrator in various supervisory and assistant principal/principal roles at Mountain Lakes, Westfield, and Hanover Park school districts. He began his educational career as an AmeriCorps volunteer teaching in an underprivileged community in Florida. As the son of a West Orange, NJ police officer and grandson of a school custodian, service to the community and service to future generations in the form of education have been guiding principles for Davies throughout his life. Davies earned his undergraduate degree from Villanova University and has a Master’s degree in teaching from the University of Notre Dame and a Master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Saint Elizabeth. He currently lives in Morris County with his wife and 7-year old daughter.
Throughout his Brearley career, Davies has guided the middle and high school with his focused instructional leadership. Outgoing Superintendent Kyle Arlington says of Davies’s record, “Mr. Davies has moved the academic achievement needle in his time here. Students have commented on the increased academic rigor, which is undoubtedly due to the high expectations for teaching that Mr. Davies has set.” Davies combines high academic rigor with an approachable demeanor and an openness to students, parents, and community members. As the new superintendent of schools, Davies looks forward to embracing the Harding School community along with Brearley as the district continues its positive trajectory. “We’ve been upping the rigor at Brearley over the past four years and we’ve seen improvement in student achievement. I am eager to engage with Harding students, parents, and staff. And I look forward to working with the entire Kenilworth community to honor and celebrate all the things that make this town great while advancing the academic reputation of our schools.”
The district will promptly commence the search for the next educational leader of David
Brearley Middle/High School, aiming to have this individual in place by the start of the 2024-
2025 academic year in September.