New PHS Principal on His East Bay Roots, Family Traditions and Approachability

Brent Daniels views his new appointment as principal of Piedmont High School as "a journey back home to the East Bay" after a decade with the Burlingame School District — although he never really left.

"I've lived in Berkeley since 1992, and I had three kids in the Berkeley schools — so I commuted to Burlingame for 10 years," Daniels told Piedmont Patch in a recent interview. "I'm essentially an East Bay guy."

Daniels will step into his new role on July 1, following the retirement of current PHS Principal Rich Kitchens. (See an article on his appointment here.) Meanwhile he's been spending as much time as possible on the Piedmont campus, meeting students, staff and parents and working on a transition plan with Kitchens.

He will build on more than 20 years of experience, first as a teacher and then as a school administrator, most recently as an assistant principal at Burlingame High School. 

He also brings a family legacy of dedication to education.

His father, Paul, was principal of El Cerrito High School. Daniels himself attended ECHS and later returned — after his father's retirement — as a biology and physical science teacher and basketball coach.

His mother, Barbara, was principal of Claremont Middle School in Oakland and later an associate superintendent in the Oakland Unified School District.

Like both his parents, Daniels graduated from UC Berkeley. He later returned for a master's degree and is working on his doctorate in education. He's currently researching and writing his dissertation, which looks at how teachers can collaborate to support student learning and how school leaders can support that collaboration.

Another family legacy is music — his maternal grandfather, Charles Perry, was a professional jazz musician. Daniels says musical talent surfaced again in his own three children, who all played in bands or orchestras at Berkeley High.

His daughter Kimiko now plays violin with the BHS chamber orchestra and piano with the jazz band. She's also studying jazz piano with local instructor Debbie Poryes.

"Waking up to my daughter playing jazz is a treat," Daniels said.

The musical gene skipped over Daniels, though. 

Instead, "I played basketball in high school," he said.

Daniels is divorced and his three children live with him. His older son, Trey, is finishing his sophomore year as a graphic design major at San Jose State University, and his younger son, Gen, is completing his freshman year at Berkeley City College.

Daniels got his first taste of the administrative side of education with a special assignment at El Cerrito High, looking at the school climate and culture. Intrigued, he later enrolled in a UC Berkeley graduate program for working professionals that focuses on dealing with the challenges of Bay Area high schools and fostering student learning.

Switching from teaching to administration, Daniels joined the Burlingame Unified School District and began his decade of 50-mile round-trip commutes. 

At Piedmont High, Daniels said, he wants to work with the community to find the best ways to support students "who are very focused to achieve well."

"I'm approachable," he emphasized, "willing to listen to concerns, advice and suggestions."