Montclair Public Schools superintendent dies suddenly

Dr. Jonathan Ponds, superintendent for Montclair Public Schools, has died.

Ponds passed away suddenly Friday, July 12, the school district announced.

Statement on Dr. Jonathan Ponds passing

“It is with a sad and heavy heart that we inform you of the sudden passing of Montclair Public Schools Superintendent, Dr. Jonathan Ponds. We were informed today by his wife that Dr. Ponds passed away this morning,” wrote Damen Cooper, Montclair’s Director of Secondary Education, in an email to the school community early Friday afternoon. “Please join us in extending our heartfelt sympathy and condolences to his family, especially his wife and three sons.”

Educational leadership career

Ponds joined the Montclair school district in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic after serving as superintendent in Moonachie for five years.

“The Montclair Board of Education is deeply saddened by the sudden and devastating passing of Dr. Jonathan Ponds. Dr. Ponds gave countless hours of his life to the children of Montclair. He worked tirelessly to improve our schools with the goal of making sure that all the children of Montclair left school with the tools they needed to live lives of independence, fulfillment, happiness and success – however that may have looked for them.

Before joining Montclair, Ponds was the principal at Parsons Elementary School in North Brunswick from 2012-15, according to his biography on the district’s website. 

He also previously worked as a special education teacher, basketball coach, vice principal and dean of students.

Ponds obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Queens University of Charlotte in North Carolina, a Master of Education degree from Cambridge College in Massachusetts and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership at Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island.