WOOLWICH TWP. — Kingsway Regional School District recently appointed Melvin N. Allen as the high school’s new principal, replacing Craig Stephenson who had held the position since 2011.
Allen has most recently served as Deptford Township High School’s principal, a position he held since 2012. During his tenure as principal, Allen is most noted for the relationships he has developed with his students and faculty; the implementation of the high school Spartan Schedule; and, spearheaded efforts to close the student achievement gap through the implementation of AVID.
“Melvin Allen is an outstanding educator, passionate leader and is a wonderful addition to the Kingsway family,” said Dr. James J. Lavender, Superintend of Schools. “His accomplishments at Deptford while serving in a leadership capacity are impressive and we are excited to bring someone of his caliber on board.”
Prior to becoming a high school principal, Allen served as Deptford Township’s Director of Curriculum and Instruction, an assistant principal and high school teacher of mathematics. He also served as a middle school assistant principal in Galloway Township before rejoining Deptford in 2006.
The 2018-19 School Year will start his nineteenth year in public education.
“I am excited to be joining the Kingsway family and forging new relationships, continuing to solidify the school/community bond and aggressively enhancing the already strong academic culture,” said Allen. “I am eagerly anticipating the opportunity to have a positive impact on all the students that come through Kingsway Regional High School.”
Allen earned his Bachelors in Science in Mathematics/Secondary Education degree from Ursinus College in 2000 and a Masters of Educational Administration from Cheyney University in 2004 where he graduated Suma Cum Laude and was named the prestigious Howard Hughes Medical Scholar.
Allen comes in at a time where school district resources will be expanded, thanks to the adoption of a new school funding law (Sweeney’s School Funding Reform Plan Becomes Law) that aims to eliminate adjustment aid and state aid growth limits, two debilitating practices in the current school funding law that has served to punish school districts like Kingsway. As a result, Kingsway’s $2.129 million in additional state aid for the upcoming school year will be used to hire close to two dozen faculty and staff members, add 720 new Chromebooks, and assist the process of replacing the unusable high school track.
“We are excited about the opportunity to add the resources we so desperately need and to welcome a number of talented and committed educators in an effort to lower class size, expand elective requests, reduce study halls, add more technology and more. Our students become the ultimate benefactor and we couldn’t be more excited to start this school year.” Said Dr. Lavender.
