Former Kennett Middle School Principal Lorenzo DeAngelis was named the new principal of the high school at a special meeting of the Kennett School Board on Monday night.

DeAngelis, 43, of London Grove Township replaces Jeremy Hritz, who resigned as the principal at the end of the school year last month. The appointment is effective on Aug. 1.

DeAngelis grew up in Northeast Philadelphia and is a graduate of West Chester University. He entered the Kennett School District as a health and physical education teacher and went on to become the dean of students in the high school. He then became the Kennett Middle School assistant principal in 2010 and the middle school principal in 2015.

“I’m excited for this next stage of my life,” he said.

He said he is also gratified about the new position because, as the middle school principal, he got to know many of the students who are now in the high school.
“I know all the kids,” he said.

With the move of DeAngelis out of the middle school, the principal position there is going to be filled by Jacob Moore, the former middle school assistant principal.

Former middle school English teacher Kathryn King becomes the middle school assistant principal.

Former Kindergarten teacher Ashley McKeown becomes the reading specialist at the Mary D. Lang Kindergarten effective Aug. 22.

Former high school business teacher Chanel Ruffin becomes the high school assistant principal.

The meeting, serving as a “special” one to review new hires, was short, lasting only 11 minutes.

In that time, however, the board also approved a new high school sociology textbook, and Superintendent Dusty Blakey presented the updated health and safety report.

Blakey said the report he just filed is largely the same as the previous one and includes the district keeping in contact with county health officials and does not include posting of weekly incidences of COVID-19.