LaVonda C. Daniels, Cherry Hill school principal and longtime educator, has died at 45
As a teacher and administrator, she was known for her student-centered approach to learning and warm personality.
LaVonda C. Daniels, 45, of Pennsauken, a longtime educator who served students across the greater Philadelphia area, died Sunday, April 27. The cause of death was not disclosed.
Mrs. Daniels held a variety of positions in education in the region. Since July 2023, she was principal of Joyce Kilmer Elementary School in Cherry Hill.
She held numerous degrees in the education field, including a bachelor’s from Howard University and master’s from Temple, Gwynedd Mercy, and Cabrini Universities. At the time of her death, she was pursuing her doctorate in educational leadership and administration from Gwynedd Mercy.
Though she originally enrolled in college to study law, Mrs. Daniels switched her major to education because she loved working with kids, said her husband, Darius Daniels.
Mrs. Daniels joined the Abington School District in 2006, where she would go on to spend 15 years as a teacher, mentor and, later, administrator. At Abington’s Highland Elementary School, she taught students in grades two through six. There, she started the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Day of Service, during which the community collected and packaged donations to assist local families.
In 2017, Mrs. Daniels took on the role of elementary curriculum specialist at Abington’s Overlook Elementary School before becoming assistant principal at Abington’s junior and senior high schools in 2019.
“We were very fortunate in the Abington School District to have had LaVonda Daniels as part of our district family for so long. Her student-centered approach to educating, coupled with her heart and warm personality, made her an exceptional classroom teacher and an even better leader when she advanced to become an Elementary Curriculum Specialist and later an Assistant Principal at Abington Senior High School,” Abington School District Superintendent Jeff Fecher said in a statement.
“LaVonda touched the lives of many in our school community over the years, both students and staff. She has been, and will continue to be, missed greatly.”
She left Abington in 2021 to serve as the principal of Davis Elementary School in the Centennial School District in Bucks County, and then to her most recent role at Joyce Kilmer Elementary School in Cherry Hill.
Darius Daniels said his wife had dreams to teach at a collegiate level and eventually write a book.
“She wasn’t one to make excuses,” he said. “If she set a goal that she wanted, it wasn’t a matter of if she was going to achieve it. It was just, ‘What steps do I have to take to get there?’”
Even on her most recent spring break, she got up early every morning to tackle her to-do list, despite her husband’s suggestion to enjoy her time off.
Darius Daniels said his wife’s persistence and drive went back to her childhood in Louisville, Ky. Growing up as one of a few Black students at a predominantly white school, she soared to the top of her class and served as a leader on the student council.
“She excelled in everything,” Darius Daniels said. “That’s just how she was.”
Outside of the classroom, Mrs. Daniels was an avid lover of Broadway shows, miniature golf, visiting the beach, and painting.
More than anything, her husband, their twin sons, Justin and Jordan, and her extended family stood at the core of her life.
“She wasn’t really big into materialistic things or money. She just liked spending time with our family, honestly, and that was what brought her joy,” her husband said.
A Facebook post from the Joyce Kilmer Elementary School Parent Teacher Association said, “Mrs. Daniels was more than just a leader at Kilmer — she was a constant source of encouragement, kindness, and strength for our entire school community. She greeted every student with a smile, celebrated every achievement, and stood with families through every challenge.”
In addition to her husband and sons, she is survived by two brothers, three grandparents, her mother- and father-in-law, and numerous other relatives.
Relatives and friends are invited to the visitation on May 12 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Victory in Christ Christian Center, 1055 Delsea Drive, Westville, N.J., 08093. The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Final disposition will take place privately.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the family through a verified GoFundMe.