Montclair BOE Appoints Damen Cooper Interim Superintendent

MONTCLAIR, NJ - The Montclair Board of Education has voted to appoint Damen Cooper as the Interim Superintendent of Montclair Public Schools at its meeting on July 22.

Cooper, who is currently the Director of Secondary Education, will assume his new role effective immediately, says school district officials. This change in leadership comes in the wake of the untimely death of Superintendent Jonathan Ponds, who served the district for four years and had been reappointed for another five years this past June.

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In his role as Director of Secondary Education, district officials stated that Cooper demonstrated a collaborative, problem-solving skill set and a strong commitment to students, their families, and school staff. As part of Dr. Ponds’ senior leadership team, they added that Cooper was actively involved in all major district initiatives during Ponds’ tenure.

“I want to welcome Mr. Cooper as our Interim Superintendent and thank him for agreeing to lead during this difficult time. Mr. Cooper has been an integral part of developing our community partnerships and the five-year strategic plan,” said Board President Melanie Deysher. “Having a vision and a road map to propel the District to new heights was a goal of Dr. Ponds, and we, as a Board, are eager to continue the good work established in the strategic planning process. The District is indeed fortunate to have someone at the ready with the experience and knowledge of Mr. Cooper who can immediately take on this key role.”

Cooper is fully committed to ensuring the District continues to improve the opportunities and access for all students to be successful. “Having a solid strategic plan in place, one that was conceived with robust community involvement, will be a significant tool by which to implement the necessary changes and measure outcomes,” said Cooper. “I thank my colleagues and the entire community for their support during this transition. I will lead with resolve and determination to support the legacy and high ideals of Dr. Ponds.”

Cooper's career in education has been marked by a series of varied roles in six different school districts, according to his bio.

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According to published reports, Cooper worked as a teacher in NYC Public Schools in 1996, where he worked for a year. He then started teaching in South Orange-Maplewood in 1998, where he stayed until 2001. Cooper then took a position working for the NJ Department of Education for three years. He then worked in Jersey City as a High School Assistant Principal for seven years, before leaving to take a position as Assistant Principal of Montclair High School in 2011. He then left in 2015 to take on another role as Principal of Lawton C. Johnson Summit Middle School in January of 2016 , but then resigned his position in July of 2018 to work in Hackensack Principal at Hackensack Middle School, before returning to Montclair in July 2020 as the Director of Personnel.

Cooper holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Central State University in Ohio and a Master of Arts in Special Education and another in Administration and Supervision from New Jersey City University of Jersey City.

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