School Board Names New Principal for Piedmont High School

The Piedmont Unified School District Board of Education on Wednesday night unanimously approved the appointment of Brent Daniels as the new principal for Piedmont High School effective July 1, 2013.

Daniels will succeed PHS Principal Rich Kitchens, who is retiring at the end of the current school year.

Daniels brings 21 years of Bay Area educator experience to Piedmont High School, according to a PUSD press release.

He currently serves as assistant principal at Burlingame High School in the San Mateo Union High School District (SMUHSD) and is a doctoral candidate in UC Berkeley’s Leadership for Educational Equity Program(LEEP).

Over the past ten years, Daniels' SMUHSD assignments have included Assistant Principal of Instructional Services; Administrator on Special Assignment; Administrator-in‐Charge; and Assistant Principal of Student Services.

Before moving into administration, Daniels taught for 11 years, primarily in Bay Area high schools, in the subject areas of biology, physical education and physical science. He also coached varsity boys basketball and led his alma mater, El Cerrito High School, to a North Coast Section (NCS) Division III Championship.

Daniels earned a master’s degree in education from UC Berkeley’s Principal Leadership Institute (PLI). He holds a bachelor’s degree in physical education from UC Berkeley.

He is the son of retired East Bay school principals, and has two sons in college and a daughter in high school.

According to the PUSD announcement, the selection process included input from a large interview panel of representative stakeholders — Piedmont High School staff, students, parents, and administrators — and additional interviews and reference checks with Superintendent Constance Hubbard and the PUSD Board of Education.

While Daniels' position officially begins on July 1, this early appointment will allow for a smooth transitional period with students, staff and parents, the announcement said.