Groton — Jemal Davis began his new role as assistant principal at West Side Middle School last week, and he is looking forward to learning more about the school culture as West Side transitions into an intradistrict STEM magnet school.

Davis came to Groton from Norwich Free Academy, where he worked for 19 years, most recently as a social studies teacher and head football coach.

"I'd felt that after I received my 092 (intermediate administrator) certification, that I would love to have the opportunity to work within southeastern Connecticut as an assistant principal," Davis said.

Davis resigned from his position as head football coach in April to pursue an assistant principal job.

The previous assistant principal at West Side was Jeff Kotecki, who became interim principal and then permanent principal following the retirement of former Principal John Jones.

Along with the magnet transition, Davis said he is working on being prepared for the middle school consolidation in 2020, and for West Side potentially becoming an International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme school.

Davis attended NFA before studying political science and playing football at the University of Connecticut. He then coached football at the University of New Haven and UConn before returning to NFA.

Prior to teaching history for the past 10 years, Davis worked in the guidance department as an academic support adviser and multicultural coordinator. He also served as an indoor and outdoor track coach.

He holds a master's degree in teaching, with a focus on literacy, from Sacred Heart University.

Davis lives in Preston with his wife and two children, ages 10 and 6.

e.moser@theday.com