Condolences on the passing of Superintendent Jonathan Ponds

Published on July 12, 2024

Dr. Maya Angelou opined, “a great soul never dies. It brings us together again and again.”  The greatest desire of  Superintendent Jonathan Ponds during his tenure at   Montclair Public Schools was that he would bring us together: bring together the members of the school board, bring together the teachers, who are key to the instructional success of our schools and the ethos in our schools; principals who are responsible for leading the schools in meeting national, state, and district goals, and with the faculty and staff modeling excellence in scholarship and service; bring together the teachers,  parents/ guardians/mentors, and the community for the good of the whole. In the 4-year tenure of Superintendent Ponds as the Montclair Superintendent, he made significant strides toward these ends. It is a testament to the greatness of his soul, that as Mayor of Montclair, my Council colleagues and I stand together, united on behalf of the Township in expressing our tremendous appreciation for the selfless service of Dr. Ponds to Montclair Public Schools, and in extending our condolences to his wife, Jennifer, and his three sons. We are inestimably grateful to the Ponds family for lending Dr. Ponds to us for a short but impactful time, during which he moved Montclair Public Schools closer to becoming a more excellent, stable school system. We bid you, “Good night Sweet Prince, and bands of angels sing thee to thy rest.” (Hamlett)

Mayor Dr. Renee Baskerville on behalf of the Montclair Township Council and the Montclair Township