Bania to be appointed as Nutley’s new superintendent of schools

NUTLEY, NJ — The Nutley Board of Education is expected to appoint Kent Bania as superintendent of schools at its June 27 meeting. Bania’s contract has been approved by the county superintendent and he will officially take on this role on July 1, succeeding Julie Glazer who leaves the district on June 30.

A search firm, led by Ronald Bolandi, and the Board of Education began the process of finding and hiring the next Nutley superintendent on Feb. 28. After community and district meetings, a community survey, and advertisements for the superintendent role, Bania was chosen from 27 applicants.

“We gathered important information from the community meetings and our survey that Ron Bolandi spearheaded, helping us decipher the needs of the district and the attributes of the next superintendent,” BOE President Daniel Carnicella said. “Our most important role as trustees is to hire and support the superintendent of schools. Mr. Bania has a deep and extensive knowledge of the Nutley Public Schools and community, and is a forward thinker in the world of education. He is ready to lead the district.”

Bania served as acting superintendent this spring and, since 2020, has been Nutley’s assistant superintendent of schools. Bania joined the district’s central office in the fall of 2016 in the role of director of curriculum, instruction and assessment, 6-12.

“I began my career in education 23 years ago in Nutley,” Bania said. “To now have the opportunity to lead the district is incredibly unique and a tremendous honor. I have lasting relationships within the district and the community and I am looking forward to working with our administrative team, principals, coordinators, teachers, students and the board to carry the district into the future.”

During Bania’s tenure as a central office administrator, Nutley High School transitioned to the rotating block schedule and the district pivoted to virtual instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the district utilized and organized grant monies to upgrade air quality, extend learning spaces, increase mental health services, add staff in critical areas to extend the learning day and provide summer academies for support. Bania, in conjunction with Janine Loconsolo, created and led monthly virtual parent academies for information regarding the standards-based report card, HIB policy and procedure, social and emotional learning initiatives, updates to the social studies curriculum and program, security updates, and the district’s gifted and talented program. 

From 2009 through 2016, Bania was the district’s science coordinator. In this role, he was a member of the strategic plan development team, the primary contact for hiring science department staff, and responsible for providing professional development and instruction strategies for the science department.

Bania began his career in education as a science teacher at Nutley High School and John H. Walker Middle School in 1999. In addition, Bania coached lacrosse at Nutley High School and Montclair State University. 

Bania holds his Bachelor of Science in environmental science from Cook College/Rutgers University and his Master of Science in biology and science education from Montclair State University. He also holds his Master of Arts in educational leadership from Lamar University and his New Jersey superintendent certificate. He lives in Essex County with his wife and their two young daughters.

  John H. Walker Middle School, Kent Bania, Nutley High School, Nutley School District