I got into education because I wanted to impact change . I wanted to inspire young people .
“
”
in Philadelphia , for two years before it was turned into a charter school , where he stayed for an additional five years .
“ I was a 30-year-old principal , and I just couldn ’ t say no because it was my community ,” Renny said .
In 2015 , Renny came back to the School District of Philadelphia to become the Principal of Kensington High School . Two years later , Renny took a job in the Cheltenham School District but then left when the Assistant Superintendent position opened up in Philly .
“ Philly will always be home for me ,” Renny said . “ I ’ m indebted to Philly , and I feel like this is where I ’ m needed most .”
Renny now serves as the Assistant Superintendent of Learning Network Five , in which the majority of schools are located in North Philly where he grew up . In this role , Renny is in charge of 17 schools made up of about 8,000 students .
“ My aspiration is to make sure my students are making the right choices , to make sure they ’ re receiving an equitable education , and that everybody ’ s on the same level playing field ,” said Renny . “ My task every day as an assistant superintendent is to make sure that my principals understand that one kid doesn ’ t have advantage over another because of their circumstance .”
His students have always been , and will continue to be , his number one priority .
“ As assistant superintendent , I think about all 8,000 kids every night , making sure they have a meal , making sure they have a roof over their head , and making sure they ’ re safe ,” Renny said . “ At the end of the day , I want to make sure they get a great education , the education they deserve .”
The Future of Education “ I got into education because I wanted to impact change . I wanted to inspire young people ,” Renny said . “ Unless I retire , I would never leave education because I think that it ’ s the single most important job .”
Despite the struggles the pandemic has had on the field of education , Renny is hopeful for the future .
“ I hope that there will be a resurgence one day and that the pendulum will shift back to us having enough teachers and giving the teachers the respect they deserve ,” Renny said .
In his current role , Renny seeks to inspire his principals and educators so they have a positive , lasting impact on every student they interact with .
“ I think that having highly qualified and highly trained teachers is our goal , but the first thing we need to do is make sure we fill those positions ,” Renny said . “ Once we fill those positions , making sure we can elevate them , motivate them , and train them to be the best they can for our kids , then I think we ’ re going in the right direction .”
Renny doesn ’ t just aim to inspire change amongst his students , but also holds the responsibility of motivating and inspiring his teachers and principals . Every email he sends concludes with “ If you didn ’ t hear it today and if nobody told you , I love you all very much .”
This simple , humble act of kindness depicts Renny ’ s dedication to everyone he interacts with . Learn more about Renny ’ s story here .
Shortly after beginning his new role as Assistant Superintendent , Renny was featured on CBS walking students to Hunter Elementary School .
“ I was only supposed to walk with one kid , but when one kid heard I was walking , a whole bunch came to walk with me . They loved it ,” Renny shared .
Having witnessed violence on the streets of Philly himself , he wanted his students to feel safe and protected as they made their way to school .
When asked why he felt the need to walk with students as an administrator , Renny said , “ A lot of people feel that this is a position of power and they just need to sit at their desk and call it a day . But if you ’ re not really about the kids , then this job isn ’ t for you .”
As a teacher and as a principal , Renny would gather the names and addresses of his students at the beginning of each year , paying each student a visit to say hello and meet their parents . He would often visit just to have a simple cup of coffee .
Even though he is in an administrative role now , impacting thousands of students across the School District of Philadelphia , Renny understands the importance of connecting with the students .
“ I just have to be around kids because they ’ re what give me my motivation and they give me the energy to keep doing this work .”
Watch the video here .
TODAY 23