Danielle Montague was nominated by Cynthia Martinez.
Ms. Montague is a true LifeChanger in the Camden City community and at Dr. Henry H. Davis Family School. She is now in her third year as principal. Ms. Montague is the heart of the school, arriving as early as 6:30 AM and often staying until 9 PM—all for the success of her students. She treats every child as her own, going above and beyond to meet their needs through mentorship, support, or even giving the shirt off her back. Her kindness, generosity, and relentless dedication have transformed the school, leading it out of NJ’s targeted support and improvement status and driving an upward trend in NJSLA scores. A 2024 Exceptional Educator Award recipient, she is a data-driven leader committed to continuous growth, even learning Spanish to better communicate with students and families. With an open-door policy and an unwavering passion for student success, Ms. Montague is not just a principal—she is a life-changing force in Camden’s future.
Ms. Montague makes coming to work every day a pleasure. She truly makes me feel like I make a difference and she makes me feel like a valued teacher. She is at Davis from sunup to sundown and Ms. Montague makes Davis the school that every other strives to be like. Students are always put first and Ms. Montague knows each and every child's name and greets them all every morning. I tell her she is my favorite person because I admire her greatly for her dedication, attitude, spirit and knowledge. I am honored to work for Ms. Montague and consider myself lucky to have a leader that I am so proud of day in and day out.
Principal Montague is truly worthy of the *LifeChanger of the Year Award* because of her unwavering dedication to Davis and its students. She knows every student by name and makes it a priority to be present and visible throughout the school, ensuring that everyone feels seen and valued. Her tireless commitment—arriving before the sun comes up and leaving long after it goes down—shows how deeply she eats, sleeps, and breathes all things Davis. Her leadership, passion, and devotion make her the heart of the school community.
From cleaning the lunch room to collecting the empty water bottle, I see her everywhere and everything. She takes the school as her home, doing everything she can do, caring and loving everyone.
Ms. Montague is not just a principal, she did much than that!
One of the most caring kind and respectful principal I’ve ever met
Ms. Montague is a dedicated and devoted individual who personally knows every student in her school. She goes above and beyond her role as a principal and is truly an exceptional leader. She is a life changer for the children of Davis Family School.
Ms. Montague is the backbone to Davis School. She ensures our school runs smoothly day in and day out. Her dedication to our students, staff and community is something to behold. Her work ethic encourages and motivates everyone around her to give 100% every day.
The best principal ever made me feel included and treated everyone like family! The best to ever do it!!
"Ms. Montague is truly the heart of Davis Family School. Her dedication to our students, families, and staff shines through in everything she does. She leads with compassion, strength, and a genuine commitment to making sure every child feels seen, supported, and capable of success. Her leadership inspires us all to give our best each day, and we are so grateful to have her guiding our school community."
Ms. Montague ensures all students are accounted for daily. She knows who is picking up each child from the schoolyard. She knows all 495 students in her care by name. She is truly a life changer!
