The Glen Ridge Board of Education has hired the superintendent of the Kenilworth School District to be the next superintendent of the borough’s school system.
Kyle C. Arlington will succeed Dirk Phillips, who is retiring as of June 30, as the next Superintendent of Schools, according to a press release from the school district.
Arlington was chosen from a diverse pool of 62 candidates in a search process that lasted four months, and included a community survey and stakeholder focus groups, both of which guided the candidate selection process.
Arlington currently serves as superintendent of the PK-12 Kenilworth School District, a position he has held since 2019. His accomplishments there included safely reopening schools in fall 2020 amid the pandemic, redesigning school learning spaces for modern instructional uses, reimagining the district’s early literacy program, and expanding arts programs, the release said.
During his tenure, the Kenilworth School District has also created a model for robust student mental health services and passed a $31.4 million proposal for renovations and a two-story building addition to create a distinct middle school and high school technology wing.
Prior to serving in Kenilworth, Arlington was assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction in the Millburn Public School District, supporting teaching and learning across the PK-12 district’s eight schools and 5,000 students, the release said.
His work across grade levels included striving toward greater equity and access to Advanced Placement courses and modernizing the longstanding Millburn Instructional Mindset, a framework of beliefs about teaching and learning reflective of the community’s high expectations and Millburn’s rigorous academic landscape, the release said.
Arlington began his career as a high school English teacher in the Vernon Township School District, advancing to become middle school assistant principal, supervisor of english language arts, PK-12 director of curriculum and instruction, and finally, assistant superintendent of curriculum, instruction, personnel, and policy.
Arlington is currently a doctoral student in the curriculum and teaching department at Teachers College, Columbia University, where he also serves as a part-time instructor.
He lives in Denville with his wife, Janine, his daughter, Kinsley, and his son, Sawyer.
Glen Ridge Board President Betsy Ginsburg said that survey and focus group feedback said the most desirable traits for the next superintendent are communications and collaboration skills and the board believes that Arlington will bring both along with many others to Glen Ridge.
Phillips, 56, was recognized as the Essex County superintendent of the year in 2022. Phillips has been a district employee for 29 years, as a teacher, wrestling coach, principal and superintendent, a position he held since August 2015.
He has previously said that he was considering his options for the future but that he hoped to continue working and believed his management skills would make him an attractive candidate for whatever goal he pursued.
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