SAU 16 to Bid Farewell to Retiring Swasey Central School Principal Ronald Kew at End of School Year

BRENTWOOD — Swasey Central School Principal Ronald Kew has been strumming his guitar in class since he started teaching in 1989.

“I began incorporating guitar into my elementary classrooms to make the curriculum engaging,” Principal Kew recalled. “I would write songs with the students — parodies of rock songs — about topics like dinosaurs, simple machines and space.”

This school year will be the retiring educator’s last at Swasey Central School.

The die-hard Beatles fan — whose license plate reads “SGTPPER,” a nod to his favorite album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band — has introduced countless students to the Fab Four.

His favorite Beatle, John Lennon, died when Principal Kew was a high school freshman. Lennon’s life and body of work inspired Principal Kew to become a musician. And as both an educator and a musician, he practiced both crafts simultaneously.

“When our school won the NH School of the Year award in 2023, I weaved The Beatles into the acceptance speech and played the ukulele,” said Principal Kew. “I feel that playing timeless songs like ‘Yellow Submarine’ and ‘All You Need is Love’ leaves a positive impression on the students.”

As an U.S. Air Force brat, Kew grew up all over the country, rarely staying in one place for long. That nomadic behavior followed him into adulthood.

“I get a little restless,” Principal Kew admitted. “I moved around a lot before I found the Swasey Central School. And I decided to stay here for a long time because there’s no other place quite like it.”

The principal/musician found ways to incorporate music into every school day.

“It’s a joyful school,” said Principal Kew. “The kids are outstanding, and our school family is outstanding.”

Asked what he is most proud of in his career, Principal Kew responded with a list of both his educational vision and career achievements:

• Building a unified community by working closely with students, families, staff, the School Board, the town, and administration into one focused team.
• Preparing the annual school budget and presenting it to the School Board, town Budget Committee and the taxpayers.
• Sharing a passion for music — including my love of The Beatles — by playing guitar in the classrooms and Friday announcements!
• Empowering student leadership through dynamic, student-hosted monthly assemblies that celebrate collective achievements.
• Providing support to guarantee every student and staff member is equipped with the vital resources they need to thrive.
• Chairing the team for recognition as theNH Elementary School of Excellence in 2023.
• Transforming early education by successfully implementing the switch to full-day kindergarten in 2015.

“While sitting in the principal’s office, it’s impossible for me to do it all,” said Principal Kew. “You need to build relationships with teachers, families, fellow administrators and the taxpayers. This job requires the building of relationships with people based on trust. Families want to know two things. Do you know my child? And do you care about my child?”

Principal Kew spent 18 years as a classroom teacher and served for 18 years as a school administrator (in Brentwood and Manchester).

“Ron couldn’t be prouder to be the Principal of Swasey Central School and he constantly speaks about how amazing his staff and students are,” SAU 16 Superintendent Dr. Christopher Andriski said. “Music is who Ron is and he doesn’t shy away from it. I think that it allows his staff, students and overall community to relate to him. Music is an important part of so many cultures and Mr. Kew embraces his love for music and incorporates it to do what he loves in his school.”

Although his retirement date has been set, Principal Kew doesn’t plan to slow down. He and his wife Paula Kew, a third-grade teacher, and daughters Madeline and Annie will take their first trip to Europe together next summer. And he’s considering a twilight career change, possibly a move into a related but different job in technology or music.

Principal Kew’s first graders have been asking him, “What’s next?”

“The simple answer — I’m ready for the next adventure, whatever that may be,” Kew said. “After my 14th year, this school’s in a great place and I’m ready for something different.”