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Nine new principals, five new directors, and five new assistant superintendents are stepping into their roles this upcoming school year as New Jersey’s largest school district replaces longtime staff members.
Seven of the new principals will lead elementary schools, and two will work at high schools, including New Media High School. The majority are longtime district principals, vice principals, and educators with years of teaching and administrative experience.
Other leadership changes include new directors of health services, adult education, special education, staff development, and student life. The district is also promoting three former principals to assistant superintendents and two assistant superintendents to oversee support services and teaching and learning.
The appointments follow the retirements of school business administrator Valerie Wilson, assistant superintendents Carolyn Granato, Sylvia Esteves, and Rosa Branco, and Director of Nursing Marguerite Leuze.
During the 2024-25 school year, Jose Fuentes, a former assistant superintendent, took on the role of school business administrator alongside Wilson, whose planned retirement that year was delayed. Fuentes will continue in his role as school business administrator this upcoming school year.
This year’s leadership changes continue the district’s broader push to diversify who leads Newark’s schools by creating teacher-to-leader pipelines and more paths from the classroom into school leadership. The move is the latest round of annual leadership turnover for the district. Newark named six first-time principals last year, eight new principals in 2024, and 10 in 2023.
The incoming school leaders will tackle several ongoing challenges, including boosting student performance as state test scores in math and reading remain below state averages, incorporating AI into classrooms, implementing a new statewide phone ban in schools, fixing old school buildings, and grappling with criticism from Republican lawmakers who are calling for more oversight of Newark’s spending.
Here’s an overview of who will lead the district in the 2026-27 school year.
District promotes eight staff members to principals, hires one newcomer
Steven Oliver, former vice principal at Dr. William H. Horton Elementary School, will lead New Media High School, the district’s newest specialized school focused on digital media, filmmaking, and entertainment. The school will welcome its first ninth grade class in September and operate at Bard High School Early College while its permanent home, the former Dayton Street School building, is renovated. Oliver joined the district in 2018 as a teacher lead and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Rutgers University, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Shadin Belal will lead Bard High School Early College this fall. A former vice principal at Malcolm X Shabazz High School, Belal has more than 15 years of experience as an educator and school administrator. She replaces Rafael Inoa, who took over as Bard’s principal last year in his first administrative role. Belal began her career as an English teacher at Orange High School after receiving a bachelor’s degree in English literature from Rutgers University, a master’s degree from Kean University, and a doctoral degree in education in leadership, management, and policy from Seton Hall University’s College of Education and Human Services, according to her school biography.
Amy Woods will lead Branch Brook Elementary School, a prekindergarten through fourth grade school for students with autism. She replaces Cristina Pennetti, the school’s inaugural principal when it opened in 2024. Woods previously worked as a supervisor in the district’s special education office.
Sharmaine McCree, a former district vice principal, was promoted to principal of Chancellor Avenue Elementary School. She began teaching in the district in 2000 and was promoted to teacher coach in 2013, according to her LinkedIn profile. McCree replaces Kashon Lopes, who was promoted to district director.
Nivin Papa, a Newark native and Newark Public Schools alum, will lead East Ward Elementary School. She has over 20 years of teaching experience in the district and was formerly a vice principal at East Ward, according to her school biography.
Marissa Falcon will take the helm of Elliot Street Elementary School this school year. She served as Elliot’s vice principal for the last five years. Before she joined the district, she spent 17 years teaching and in leadership roles at Elizabeth Public Schools. She brings 20 years of experience to her new role.
Rodney Point-Du-Jour, the only newcomer to the district among the new principals, will lead Nelson Mandela Elementary School starting in September. He brings more than 20 years of administrative and teaching experience and replaces the school’s first principal, Ryan Silver, who was promoted to assistant superintendent. Point-Du-Jour was formerly an assistant principal for the East Windsor Regional School District, a vice principal and educator at Franklin Township Public Schools, and an English teacher at Plainfield Public Schools, according to his LinkedIn profile.
April Adams, former vice principal at Wilson Avenue School, will take charge of Quitman Street School this fall. She started her teaching career in Newark, working with students in the Central and West Wards. She has worked as a district substitute teacher, classroom teacher, teacher coach, supervisor, and special assistant for the East Central Ward School Leadership Team. She holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and a master’s degree in educational administration from Saint Peter’s College, according to her school biography.
Khadijah Owen, a former vice principal of Weequahic High School, will lead Speedway Avenue School. Owen was also previously a math lead teacher for the district.
Former principals move into district leadership
Three former principals will lead the district’s School Leadership Teams as assistant superintendents.
Andres Barquin was promoted to assistant superintendent for the North School Leadership Team. Barquin, who had served as principal of Elliot Street School since 2022, started his career as a district elementary school teacher. He studied at Thomas Edison State College, Grand Canyon University, and Caldwell College.
Former Speedway Avenue School Principal Ashley Jiles was promoted to assistant superintendent for the South and West School Leadership Teams. She began her teaching career with the district in 2013 and worked her way up to vice principal at Dr. William H. Horton Elementary School.
Silver, former principal of Nelson Mandela Elementary School, was promoted to assistant superintendent of the East and Central School Leadership Teams. Silver was the first principal at Nelson Mandela when it opened its doors in 2023. Silver is a Newark Public Schools graduate.
Current assistant superintendents Samantha Lott-Velez and Sandra Marques will oversee support services and teaching and learning, a promotion for both after previously overseeing School Leadership Teams.
New directors take the helm after longtime staff retire
The district promoted Courtney Johnson, former principal of Quitman Street School, to director of adult education. Pennetti, former principal of Branch Brook Elementary School, was promoted to director of special education.
Lopes, former principal of Chancellor Avenue, was named director of staff development. The district hired Bertha Blackwell as the new director of health services and Vernon Pullins as the new director of student life.
Jessie Gomez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.
