The St. Joseph Notre Dame (SJND)’s board of trustees unanimously approved the appointment of Ken Jennings as the Catholic school’s next principal. 

The appointment was the “culmination of an extensive and thorough search, reviewing many candidates from schools throughout the U.S,” according to a letter from Father George Alengadan, pastor of St. Joseph Basilica Parish, and Teashe Gable, chair of the search committee. “The search committee considered a number of highly qualified candidates for the role before presenting a final recommendation to the Board of Trustees and to Bishop Michael C. Barber who have unanimously approved Ken’s appointment.”

Jennings will fill his new role effective July 1. He holds a B.A. in English Literature from Fordham University, a Masters of Divinity from Seton Hall University, and a Masters in Educational Administration from Caldwell University. 

Since 2014, he has served as the principal of De Paul Catholic High School, where he’s led the academics, student life and campus ministry programs. Prior to De Paul, Jennings was the principal of Benedictine Academy in Elizabeth, N.J., from 2004 to 2014. There he coordinated two successful re-accreditation visits, working diligently to raise the school’s test scores during a five-year process. 

Jennings has also taught at the high-school level. He has taught College Preparatory English, AP Literature and Composition, and AP Psychology. In his last two principal positions, he has simultaneously taught AP Psychology.