Warren County superintendent Kevin Brennan ready for changes in New Jersey educational system

WASHINGTON | If there's one place Kevin Brennan loves to be, it's at the very beginning of a project.

From the start of his professional life, Brennan, 56, of Frelinghuysen Township, made a habit out of being at the cusp of change. This preference has carried him to his most recent challenge: Warren County superintendent.

"It's a pattern of my career," Brennan said Friday. "It's so great when you're at the beginning of something. If you start at the middle, you might not realize you have something special until you're halfway through."

The Newark-born administrator began his job Sept. 2. He starts at a time when the public education system in the state is undergoing several transformations.

New accountability regulations for districts, shrinking budget dollars and stricter standards on secondary education are just some of these challenges.

Brennan has a three-year state contract at $120,000 a year.

Stewartsville Middle School Principal Patty Lantz said during the 13 years Brennan served as Greenwich Township superintendent, he navigated the district through record-breaking enrollment increases.

"He took this district through lots of transitions and managed it beautifully," Lantz said.

Brennan said he was originally interested in the priesthood and stumbled into education after working with special-needs children. He met his lifelong passion and his wife, Catherine Brennan, now a retired director of special education in Mansfield Township. The couple have three children.

After obtaining a doctorate at Florida's Nova Southeastern University, Brennan worked at Bergen County Special Services and Westwood Regional school districts before coming to Greenwich.

Sarah Bilotti, assistant principal at the Greenwich Elementary School, said Brennan embraces input from all involved in an issue.

"He wants to make sure everyone's voice is heard," she said. "He'll give you ownership of your ideas."

Lantz and Bilotti praised Brennan's passion for providing the best possible education for students.

"He never locked himself in the office," Lantz said, recalling how every morning he would roam the halls while students arrived by the busload.

For the past four weeks, Brennan said, he's been visiting the districts in the county, encouraging administrators to inform him about any and all events.

Staying connected is essential, Brennan said. He recalled how while developing a plan for Greenwich School, he wanted kindergarten classes situated near administrative offices.

"I think what we (administrators) do is very important," Brennan said, "but we have to keep a balance. And I think that balance is what keeps us most productive."