NJ School Administrator Picked To Lead Bristol School District

A longtime school administrator is expected to be hired as the Bristol Borough School District’s next superintendent.

Hope Grant will be up for an approval vote before the school board at the Nov. 19 meeting.

Grant, who has more than 26 years of experience in public education, is working as assistant superintendent of the Trenton Public School District, a role she has been in since 2020.

Grant’s nomination for the role leading the 1,100-student Bristol Borough School District comes after a search by the Bucks County Intermediate Unit.

There were 23 applications for the job. The applicants were from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Connecticut and Massachusetts.

In a statement, Grant said she was honored by the selection and thanked the school board for its support.

“I am excited to begin this work and look forward to building meaningful relationships with students, staff, families, and community members,” Grant said. “I am committed to collaborating to ensure every student has the support, encouragement, and opportunities they need to discover their strengths, optimize their capabilities, and achieve their goals.”

School Board President Anthony Smith spoke highly of Grant.

“Hope brings that approach, along with extensive experience supporting student achievement, leading through significant change, and building partnerships that create opportunities for students,” Smith said. “We believe she has the experience, perspective, and commitment to help move Bristol Borough School District forward, while valuing the close-knit community that makes our district special.”

Grant will fill the job last held by Dr. Broadus Davis, who retired in summer.

Grant has spent more than two decades in the Trenton Public School District.

The intermediate unit said Grant has worked in Trenton to evaluate student performance and bolster instructional programs. Her programs include pioneering the districtwide Chronically Absent Response and Engagement process, leading training and implementation in restorative practices, and expanding dual enrollment, higher education partnerships and career readiness programs.

Before becoming assistant superintendent, Grant spent nearly 15 years as a high school principal, including leading the 1,600-student Trenton Central High School.

Serving at the high school, Grant started a student progress plan program that was associated with a 33 percent increase in the four-year graduation rate between 2013 and 2018, and expanded college partnerships that more than doubled the number of students earning college credit while in high school.

Over her career, Grant worked as a vice principal, a health and social service coordinator, and an education development specialist with the New Jersey Department of Education.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Hampton University, a master’s degree in urban education from Norfolk State University and a master’s degree in educational administration from The College of New Jersey. She holds Pennsylvania Superintendent PreK-12 Commission Qualification as well as New Jersey School Administrator and Principal/Supervisor standard certificates.

As part of the search for a new superintendent, gathered 114 responses from a public survey asking students, staff and residents what qualities and priorities they wanted in a new leader.

The Bristol Borough School District will host a community forum to introduce Grant to the public.

The event will feature a question-and-answer session moderated by Bucks County Intermediate Unit Executive Director Mark Hoffman, with an option for residents to submit questions ahead of time.

Details regarding the forum’s date, time, location and question submission process will be announced later.