Ewing Township Board of Education

November 11, 2022

Dear Ewing Community,

It is truly my pleasure to introduce myself as your next superintendent of schools. I would like to thank the Ewing Board of Education for entrusting me with the tremendous responsibility of caring for the community’s students. Additionally, I would like to thank Mr. Nitti for his many years of service to the Ewing community and wish him the best in his retirement. My mission to provide every student the opportunity to achieve their dreams through education was forged long before I stepped foot in a classroom. My father, an Italian immigrant, overcame learning challenges to become a self-taught mechanical engineer who, through sheer drive and determination, founded a successful family HVAC business. My mother owned a small hair styling business that operated out of her shop built by my father in the basement of our modest home in a working-class small-town, USA.

The value of education was nurtured throughout my childhood. My parents, who always wanted more for their children, insisted we study hard and receive the best education possible. My sister earned a Ph.D. in accounting while I fell in love with teaching and learning. As a teenager, I was a swimming instructor for younger children; it was then that I discovered my passion for teaching. Schoolwork did not always come easy for me, struggling especially with reading; until, as a freshman in college, a learning consultant ensured I received help to overcome this obstacle. From that point forward, I enjoyed a new world of reading, learning, and helping others become successful learners. I tutored local high school students to help work my way through college and, in doing so, confirmed my love for teaching and learning.

My family was not one of great means; however, I had some success on the athletic field which afforded me access to an education. I attribute my personal work ethic to my experience as a student, athlete, and employee. I vividly remember extremely long days as I worked in our family HVAC business, maintained good grades, and participated in baseball and football. 

I started my formal career in education in 1998 with the Millville Public School District as an elementary school teacher and high school baseball and football coach. My own experiences helped me identify with my young students and help them understand themselves better as learners. I gravitated to instructing students who had learning obstacles, ultimately leading me to teach in an alternative eighth-grade program I helped design for the Runnemede Public School District.

In 2003, I officially started my leadership career as a middle school vice principal and I was later promoted to the position of principal in Runnemede. In 2008, I became the Superintendent of Schools in the Mount Holly Public School District. Working collaboratively with my team, we achieved many improvements and successes: reducing school violence, improving student achievement, and finding and addressing inequities. I learned how to work effectively with stakeholders throughout the school community, through a collaborative effort to pass a comprehensive bond referendum and oversee multiple capital improvement projects. 

In 2010, I was appointed Superintendent of Schools in the Millville Public School District. I spent the next decade working with staff and community members on a shared vision to create a world-class district. Together, we realized many improvements and successes: student achievement, establishing a professional community dedicated to instructional improvement, creating a system of classroom walkthroughs, and establishing a comprehensive professional development approach. Our professional work was recognized by both McRel and ASCD as they featured the district’s efforts in their video series Classroom Instruction that Works. I also worked collaboratively in Millville to secure New Jersey Department of Education funding to address crowding and capacity issues, as well as other long-standing educational concerns. As a result, the district received over one-hundred million dollars in additional state funding to complete a comprehensive renovation project that completely overhauled the existing high school campus. 

In 2019, I was appointed Superintendent of Schools in the Voorhees Township School District, where I worked with staff and community members to create a much-needed redistricting plan, to advance full-day kindergarten and the construction of an early childhood center, as well as integrating more technology into classroom instruction. Like school leaders throughout the country, I navigated uncharted territory of the world-wide COVID pandemic. In 2022, I became the Chief Academic Officer of the Cumberland County Technical High School District, where I was responsible for student admissions, equity, curriculum/instruction, and various other special projects for the district.  

I have been happily married for over 22 years. My wife and I are raising two children, who are 17 and 13 years of age. I am extremely excited to be the next school superintendent for the Ewing Public School District. I am looking forward to working collaboratively with all of you to ensure our students receive an exceptional education and are prepared for the world following graduation.

Sincerely, 

David Gentile

Dr. David Gentile

Superintendent