Please note: These highlights are an unofficial summary of actions taken and topics discussed during the public session of the PPS Board of Education on January 24, 2023. They are intended to provide timely information to our community, but they do not represent an official accounting of the meeting.  Official minutes will be approved by the Board at its next meeting.  To see the video of the January 24 meeting, please click here.

Please email communications@princetonk12.org if you would like to receive Board Highlights via email.

 

Highlights

The Princeton Board of Education met Tuesday, January 24, 2023, at 25 Valley Road.  

The meeting was called to order by Dafna Kendal, Board President. Nine board members were present, including Betsy Kalber Baglio (Vice President), Beth Behrend, Debbie Bronfeld, Jean Durbin, Mara Franceschi, Susan Kanter, Brian McDonald, and Michele Tuck-Ponder. 

Student Mental Health Resource Graphic: Student Board members Rohun Chivate and Andre Penn presented an infographic showing mental health resources available to Princeton High School students. Board members praised the graphic and said that sharing the information will make it easier for students seeking mental health resources. “I am so proud of you,” Dr. Kelley told the student representatives. “This exemplifies leadership. You saw an issue, you got feedback, and you tested out some solutions. You will impact close to 2,000 students with your work.” 

PHS Career Fair: Board members noted that the first-ever Career Fair at Princeton High School was a resounding success. Board members and student representatives were pleased with the panels and grateful to the parent volunteers who participated.

Ethics Training: The Board of Education Attorney Vic LaPira, from Fogarty & Hara, provided the annual required ethics training for Board members.

School Calendars: The Superintendent's Report included the presentation of calendars for school years 2024 and 2025.  

• The Board thanked Dr. Kelley for providing the two-year view of the school calendars.  
• The first day of school for the next two years will be the day after Labor Day.  
• In an effort to recognize and celebrate the diversity of the community, PPS has added holidays to the district calendar that include Lunar New Year, Diwali, and Eid. 
• The Board thanked PREA, the teachers’ union, for its collaboration and cooperation on the calendars.
• In effort to end the year earlier in June, PPS teachers will return during the last week of August for staff development. Some PPS schools are being used for voting on election days in November and June. These days will continue to be holidays for students and professional development days for staff. The Board will continue to investigate options about alternative polling places and ways to move voting out of school buildings. 

Food Systems Literacy Coordinator: PPS plans to hire a Food Systems Literacy Coordinator as part of a pilot with funding from the Princeton School Garden Cooperative. In the future, if the pilot is successful, the position will be funded with food service funds. 

Playgrounds: PPS will apply for a $100,000 grant for the remediation of elementary school playgrounds. 

Dual Language Immersion: Dr. Kimberly Tew, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, summarized the report by the Tri-State Consortium regarding the district’s Dual Language Immersion program. The consortium praised the program and offered suggestions for improvement. To read Dr. Tew’s presentation, please click here. To read the full Tri-State Consortium report, please click here.

State of the District: The next quarterly meeting of the Equity Committee will coincide with the State of the District Celebration (open to the public) on February 27. More details about the time and location will be available soon. 

The next Board of Education meeting will be February 7 (virtual) and will include the annual Budget Workshop and a demographic update.