Kalia M. Reynolds, Ed.D.

Currently, Dr. Kalia Reynolds is the Deputy Superintendent / Chief Academic Officer in the West Chester Area School District, the 10th largest district in Pennsylvania. Kalia oversees the following departments: Teaching, Learning, and Equity (TLE), Pupil Services, Special Education, and Elementary Schools. She also is an adjunct professor at Delaware State University teaching courses at the graduate level - master's and doctorate. Before joining West Chester, she was the Executive Director of Teaching and Learning in the Appoquinimink School District in Odessa, Delaware - the fastest growing district in the state.  In that role, she was responsible for leading a team of nearly 30 district administrators and specialists in the following areas - special education, instructional technology, college and career readiness, research, assessment, accountability, immersion, special projects and overall teaching and learning. Kalia provided direct support for pre-K to grade 12 in nineteen schools. Dr. Reynolds has been a special education teacher, assistant principal, principal and elementary director.  She finished her doctoral work in educational leadership at the University of Delaware.  Her Master’s degree is in counseling psychology from Temple University and undergraduate studies were completed at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in special education and psychology.  

 

A lifelong learner and enthusiast for leading school and district teams, Dr. Reynolds has been a teaching fellow at Harvard University.  When she was an elementary principal, she led her school to earn the coveted Blue Ribbon School award from the US Department of Education and participated in the inaugural cohort of the National Principal Academy Fellowship through Relay Graduate School to focus on effective leadership to significantly improve the educational performance of students in challenging circumstances.  She has presented at numerous state and national conferences.  Her work centers on empowerment and increasing access to powerful learning opportunities for all students, teachers, and administrators.  

 

Kalia is the wife of Dr. Shanta Reynolds, 2020 Secondary Principal of the Year for the State of Delaware and the 2024 Wilmington Urban League Empowering Educator. Shanta is the Director of Teaching, Learning and Equity in the New Castle County Vocational & Technical (NCCVT) School District.  They have two children, Christian and Layla.  As a wife, mother, and leader, she works to balance these roles and knows that this is only possible through her strong faith and a supportive family.  Dr. Reynolds strives to model grace and positive presence in all that she does.  

 

Dr. Reynolds’ mantra that guides her life’s work is from Maya Angelou, “When you know better, do better.”