Princeton High School has introduced significant and jarring changes to its 2025–2026 science curriculum. Placement tests for AP Physics C have been eliminated, Accelerated Physics has replaced AP Physics 1 as a mandatory prerequisite, and students can no longer double up on a lab and non-lab science course. While these changes might seem minor, students wishing to explore their interest in science now face considerable uncertainty.
PHS physics teacher Oren Levi explained that the placement test was originally implemented due to the removal of AP Physics 1. “We wanted to give an opportunity to the students who would have been excluded from taking those classes because of the new requirements,” said Levy. “Now [that] the remaining students who would want to take the class have now had the opportunity to take a physics class …  the test was removed.” Additionally, he added that “the school is trying to … slow down some of the kids that are overextending themselves.”
Since Accelerated Physics has replaced AP Physics 1 as a mandatory prerequisite, students who have finished AP Calculus BC will be forced to start the physics curriculum by taking algebra-based Accelerated Physics.

This isn’t the first time sudden policy changes have derailed course study plans. Last year, eligibility changes preventing sophomores from taking AP Macro/Micro surprised students desiring to take those courses. Policy changes often come from valid concern for students’s well being, but their implementation leaves them flailing. In the current policy-making atmosphere, rising juniors and seniors are given no opportunity for effective high school planning — they have few options to meet new prerequisites put in place near the end of their high school journey.
As a result of this change, the academic goals of students interested in physics have been hindered, requiring them to take Physics 1 Accelerated before AP Physics. For example, if a student desires to take all the AP physics courses before junior year, having to take a prerequisite class  in freshman year can delay these plans.

Many students didn’t know about these changes until they had meetings with their counselors to finalize class schedules. Instead of creating roadblocks with no transparency, the district ought to implement policies with two-year delay periods. A delay period for any new policy shelters current students from the potential changes it brings, while giving standardized effects to future students. As an example, a policy change made in the 2024–2025 school year should only go into effect in the 2026–2027 school year. This allows students to effectively plan and recalibrate their high school journey. Until the district fundamentally changes the methodology of implementing new policies, placement tests can act as a stopgap to minimize the disruption on students’ academic journeys. 

On the new physics enrollment policy

In an effort to ensure the passage of
the largest referendum Princeton Public
Schools has proposed in over two decades,
PPS officials have begun several initiatives
to share information with voters and
address any resulting concerns. These
include virtual forums, a website devoted
to the referendum, and in-person tours
of issues with school facilities.

The referendum is divided into three
parts called “questions.” The first part, with
an estimated cost of $37.9 million, would
fund improvements to the PHS HVAC
system and an expansion of Community
Park Elementary school. The second part,
with an estimated cost of $38.3 million,
which can only be approved if the first
part is passed, would cover expansions to
PHS and Princeton Middle School. The
final part, contingent on the passage of the
first two parts, would fund expansions to
Littlebrook Elementary School.

In total, the referendum — if passed —
would have an annual tax burden of $532
on the average Princeton home assessed
at $850,000. Thus, PPS officials have been
keen to explain the critical importance
of the referendum and consequences the
district would face if the referendum were
to fail. Business administrator Matthew
Bouldin highlighted the importance of
the referendum’s first section.

“If [question] one doesn’t pass, it’s
definitely going to be an issue. We’re going
to have to really look at our programs and
possibly have to do redistricting more
often,” said Bouldin. “If it’s overcrowded
at one [elementary] school, we would have
to make shifts, and it’s really disruptive
and difficult to do that.”

Kathie Foster, PPS’s Interim
Superintendent, elaborated on the
consequences PPS would face if the overall
referendum were to fail, including larger
class sizes, overcrowded schools, and
reduced programming.

“We would need to repurpose existing
spaces for regular classrooms, making it
harder to provide all the programming
we believe is important in key areas, such
as art and science. [Further], modular
classrooms, or trailers, may be needed,
straining the operating budget,” Foster
wrote in an email to The Tower.

PPS teacher and union leader Renee
Szporn noted that in some instances, the
challenges Foster warns of are already
being faced by teachers.

“In our seventh and eighth period class,
we have 24 to 25 students and we can’t fit
those kids in that room. It is tight, and it
impacts teaching,” said Szporn. “It’s very
difficult to do cooperative teaching.”

However, Szporn believes that the
frequent use of referendums is not the best
way to solve long term district issues. Last
year, the Princeton community passed a
$13 million bond referendum for security
and major maintenance upgrades. Moreover, a referendum in December
2018 helped fund security vestibules at
the middle and elementary schools, as
well as HVAC upgrades.

“I think you always have to plan for
growth ... you just can’t keep asking the
taxpayers to keep paying for things.” said
Szporn. “I think taxpayers are tired. And
I think to keep asking and drawing from
the same well is a little tough.”

To address community concerns
and highlight necessary improvements
to the district buildings, elementary,
middle, and high school tours will be
offered through December and January.
In a December 8 tour to community
members, PHS Principal Cecilia Birge
emphasized the importance of updating
the school’s HVAC, which is the oldest in
the district. Birge also cited the school’s
increasing population as a reason to
support the referendum, which at around
1500 students sits well above the 1200
she believes the school can perfectly
accommodate. PPS officials have also
sought to inform community members
about the importance of the referendum
through more accessible methods.

“We have written letters to the editor
of all local publications explaining the
facilities referendum questions and
offering opportunities to learn more
about our plans,” said Foster. “Members
of the public who attend events at the
schools, such as the fall plays and concerts
at [PHS] and [PMS], will hear brief
announcements about the… referendum
and how to learn more.”

 Beyond advertising the referendum,
PPS officials are also arguing that even
Princeton voters without children in the
district, who, as taxpayers, should also
vote in the district referendum.

“The property values of homes are
definitely related to the quality of the
schools. In that sense, somewhat directly,
people that own properties in Princeton
benefit from the improvement of schools
overall,” said Bouldin.

Foster believes that given the many
efforts of the PPS administration in
promoting the referendum, Princeton
voters will vote to approve it.

“We feel confident that if we effectively
make the case for the referendum,
community members will see that they
are sensible, cost-effective investments in
sustaining the quality of the education we
provide and the experience our students
enjoy,” said Foster.

PPS officials push 2025 referendum approval

The campus of Westminster Choir College, which sits
adjacent to PHS, is set to be acquired by the Princeton
Town Council following the passage of a $50 million
bond ordinance. The status of the property, which is
currently owned by Rider University, had been uncertain
ever since the university decided to move its well-known
music program from Princeton to their Lawrenceville
campus. The only active organization that remains on the
Princeton campus is the Westminster Conservatory of
Music, which offers music lessons and other programs to
local residents; the remaining 28 acres are largely unused.

In 2018, a Chinese company attempted to purchase the
property, but the deal fell through. According to Princeton
mayor Mark Freda, the town is acquiring the property
in part to prevent the property from being purchased by
similar large developers.

“I don’t think there’s very many people that live in
town that would like to suddenly see 1000 housing units
on that property. I think people hope that there’s some
way to maintain some of what’s there — it’s a beautiful
property,” said Freda.

Because of the campus’s proximity to PHS and Princeton
Middle School, Freda and other town officials also
hope that the property could be used by the Board of
Education in future expansion efforts. However, all plans
are tentative, and the town has not yet had an official
meeting with the full BOE.

“The schools need to determine how they use it,” said
Freda. “Do you put another school there? Do you close
part of Franklin Avenue and put an addition on the middle
school? Do you need more fields?”

The current $50 million ordinance only covers the
acquisition of the property and minor repairs to the
buildings. Any significant capital improvements would
require additional funding from the BOE’s budget. Even
still, the current bond puts an estimated $329 annual tax
burden, over 30 years, on the average Princeton household.
To help lower this cost, the town is planning on potentially
renting out the space to local organizations.

While Freda said that he has not personally heard any
resistance to the plans, he understands that the purchase
could jeopardize the only existing program on site —
Westminster Conservatory. Dr. Ruth Ochs, the current
director of the Westminster Conservatory’s community
orchestra, believes that special care must be taken to
ensure the institution can continue in Princeton.

“The Westminster conservatory is the strongest and
largest musical asset that the Princeton community owns,”
said Ochs. “It is a unique and special opportunity for
accomplished individuals from different backgrounds
[and] generations to come together and unite and learn
from each other.”

The curriculum development and programming
has become challenging due to lack of clarity of the
convseratory’s future, even in the near term, according to
Ochs. She also described the uncertainty that conservatory
faculty have felt because of unclear messaging from the
various parties involved in the acquisition process.

“We have no idea what comes on January 1,” said Ochs.
“We’re hoping that things will just continue through the
end of the year. Beyond that, it’s quite hard to imagine.”

In the long term, Ochs hopes that the conservatory
could potentially partner with existing arts organizations.

“I would hope, if there comes a point when — and this
is 100 percent hypothetical — that if the Westminster
Conservatory somehow needed to find independent
partnership that there are arts organizations in the area
that we might find fruitful partnership with,” said Ochs.

Rider University has said that the
Conservatory will continue to operate
through the end of this academic year.
Beyond that, however, plans are still
uncertain, according to Kristine Brown,
Rider University’s Vice President of
External Affairs.

“The municipality has recognized the
value of the Westminster Conservatory
for the community, and at this time, we
expect the Conservatory will continue to
operate in Princeton through June 2025,”
said Brown. “As the municipality’s process
to acquire the property continues, and any
future decisions regarding operations on
that property are made, we will certainly
keep the community informed as we go
forward.”

Even if the Conservatory stays under
the administration of Rider University,
Ochs has expressed concerns regarding
the business-focused approach the
university has to the music education the
Conservatory offers. The Conservatory is
ostensibly a non-profit, according to Ochs,
which doesn’t align with the way Rider
University views the program.

“There’s a very fundamental conflict at
play ... it’s business versus the cultivation
and the teaching of music, which is in
itself, not a sustainable endeavor,” said
Ochs. “I would love Rider University to
find a way to continue the relationship
with the Conservatory because I really
like continuing to have a relationship with
Westminster Choir College.”

Robert Loughran, the director of the
PHS orchestra program, believes that if
the deal goes through and Rider University
sells the conservatory, the conservatory
could potentially return to its old level
of activity.

“It would be great to see it return to its
vibrancy,” said Loughran. “[The orchestra
performs] there every spring, so I’m all for
[the purchase].”

One of the major barriers to the
acquisition of the land remains the
outstanding legal challenges between
Rider and the Princeton Theological
Seminary. Because the trust that initially
founded Westminster Choir College in the
1930s stipulates that the property must be
used “for the purpose of training ministers
of music for Evangelical churches,” a group
of Westminster Choir College affiliates
are contending that the town cannot use
the land for recreation or building public
schools.

However, the town is planning on
fighting this lawsuit through the concept
known as eminent domain — the power
the government has to seize private
land and convert it for public use. This
power, historically used to facilitate
transportation and create public buildings,
is being considered in this case to facilitate
the potential expansion of the public
schools.

“We assume that the legal hurdles will
be resolved which will allow us to move
forward. But you know, while we’re pretty
confident of that, nothing’s for certain until
it happens,” said Freda.

Princeton Town Council to purchase Westminster campus

Following the resignation of
Carol Kelley on October 30 of
last year, the Board of Education
began the process of finding a
new, permanent superintendent
for Princeton Public Schools.
With interim superintendent
Dr. Kathie Foster’s contract set
to expire on July 1, 2025, the
Board aims to make a decision
before then.

To facilitate the search
process, the district hired
School Leadership LLC, a search
consultant firm based in New
York. As lead consultants on the
search, Dr. Marty Brooks and
Rina Beder are responsible for
advertising the job posting and
recruiting candidates who fit the
profile and specifications sought
by the district. These candidates
would then be reviewed and
interviewed by all ten members
of the new Board formed after
the election on November 5 for
a final decision.

Before recruiting potential
candidates and during the
information gathering stage
of the search process, Brooks
and Beder sought input from
Princeton community members
regarding the ideal qualities of
a new superintendent. From
September 30 to October 10,
they conducted a total of 18
in-person sessions, including
one with PHS students, and six
virtual forums with groups like
the Princeton Parents for Black
Children and the Parents Special
Ed Union Leadership, and a
group of three district unions
representing faculty and staff.
The consultants also made use
of an online survey in which 500
community members responded.

“We were really impressed
with the openness and honesty
of everybody that [we] met with.
There’s a deep commitment to
the district’s schools, and that
came through loud and clear,”
said Brooks.

Through the forums, they saw
recurring patterns in the needs of
the community.
Brooks and Beder
then compiled these needs
and feedback for the new
superintendent into six key
specifications. The qualifications,
as per the School Leadership
LLC’s Specification Development
Report, were categorized as
follows: an experienced teacher
with a strong commitment to the
needs of students, a compassionate
promoter of Princeton Public’s
Schools’ mission, a collaborator
who creates strong relationships
with the community, an effective
communicator who readily
shares and exchanges ideas,
a skilled financial manager
who can maximize the board’s
resources, and a visionary who
plans to lead the community to
a higher level of excellence.
These qualities were assembled
into a draft of the profile for the
job sent to the Board of Education
and approved on October 16. The
2024 Princeton Public Schools
Superintendent job description
reflected the community’s input,
and the LLC started recruiting on
October 17.

In particular, the last
specification in the board’s final
job profile describing a “leader
who is excited about becoming
a member of the Princeton
community” was designed to
promote greater stability, given
the high turnover the district has
seen recently in superintendent
and principal positions.

“There has been a lot of change,
so we’re looking for somebody
who is committed not only
to staying for some period of
time but also embedding him
or herself in the community —
somebody who really loves the
place, wants to sink his or her
roots there, and wants to commit
… for the work that needs to be
done as well,” said Brooks.

The Board will conduct a
rolling search, so as the LLC
pre-interviews candidates, it
will continually send specific
individuals who meet the
superintendent profile to the
Board to interview for the
position. Ideally, the Board hopes
to have a candidate by early 2025
since Foster’s contract requires
PPS to give her a 90 day notice
that a new superintendent will
fill her position.

“[Dr. Foster’s contract
requirements] would take [the
Board] back to March [to find
a superintendent]. And in [NJ],
we have an additional step: the
executive county superintendent
has to approve a superintendent’s
contract. So the ideal timing [to
hire someone] would be that the
board announces in January or
February or even early March that
there is a successful candidate,”
said Betsy Baglio, vice president
of the Board of Education and
chair of the superintendent
search committee.

However, the Board cannot
announce a successful candidate
until after the school board
election on November 5, so
actual voting on a superintendent
cannot happen until 2025.
Despite these challenges, the
July 1 deadline will not deter the
Board from selecting the best
possible candidate for Princeton
Public Schools.

“We are going to make sure
that whoever we choose meets
the criteria we’re looking for. So
if we don’t have someone by July
1, as we get closer to that date,
we’ll have contingencies in place.
There has to be a superintendent
on July 1 ... but if not, there will be
someone in that role,” said Dafna
Kendal, president of the Board of
the Education.

PHS searches for a new superintendent

### Mara Franceschi

> "I want everybody to find the joy in learning."

Mara Franceschi, the race’s only
incumbent, hopes to continue her
work to ensure all students can
reach their fullest potential
in public education.

After receiving an MBA from Columbia, Franceschi has worked in finance for ten years. A mother of three with two children at PHS, she has been actively involved in the schools and town since her move to Princeton 14 years ago.

“In the last 14 years ... I’ve been deeply involved with the school ... I was the treasurer and president of the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) at Johnson Park and then [the PTO Committee]. I’ve also been [an] assistant treasurer at the library,” Franceschi said.

Franceschi plans to utilize her BOE experience to best support quality education in the school district.

“I do think that it’s important to maintain some of the institutional knowledge and experience [of the Board]. I was surprised at how much there was to learn [after being elected], even though I spent a decade before that really involved with the schools ... It’s quite different from just other nonprofit-kind of board experiences,” Franceschi said.

Franceschi emphasized her focus on the district’s budget. She aims to collaborate with other board members to ensure the district remains financially sound, particularly as the student population continues to grow.

“It’s a very difficult fiscal environment with the inflation rate and … costs that have just been going
through the roof,” Franceschi said.

Franceschi feels her mission, along with the rest of the BOE, is to solve these financial challenges so students and educators are able to focus more on education.

“My overarching reason for joining the board is that I am passionate about public school and public school education for all children, making sure that every child reaches their full potential ... It’s not a sprint. It’s a marathon. And I want everybody to find joy in learning,” Franceschi said.

### Ari Meisel

> "There needs to be more opportunities... for people to connect."

Ari Meisel is a business coach and active member of many organizations in Princeton, including the Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad, the PMS PTO, and the Princeton Jewish Center. After graduating from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Meisel worked in construction, but after a diagnosis with Crohn’s disease, he was forced to develop a new
living philosophy; he has since made these ideas the foundation of his own consulting agency.

“I did a TEDx talk on the entire experience [with Crohn’s disease], and I’ve replicated my results with a whole bunch of other people … Over the last 12 years, I’ve spoken on stages all over the world, consulted hundreds of different companies and individuals ... and published 12 books,” Meisel said.

Meisel hopes to use his experience in the corporate and nonprofit world to address operational inefficiencies in the district.

“[In PPS] there are a lot of staff who are under-resourced, [such as] guidance counselors [with] a 125 student caseload each,” said Meisel. “That’s a New Jersey standard, sure, but there are ways that
we could be supporting that with free tools and systems, processes that aren’t necessarily in place,”

Meisel emphasized the value of transparency, especially following the dismissal of PHS principal Frank Chmiel and the resignation of superintendent Carol Kelly. He hopes that making the BOE more accessible to community members will help mend a purported lack of trust in the board.

“One of the things I’ve tried to propose to the board is social media. The board doesn’t use
it, and the board should. We have a public meeting once a month, [but] not everybody can do that. There needs to be more opportunities ... for people to connect,” said Meisel. “We need to be in a situation where the community trusts the board ... and [their] decisions.”

### Lisa Potter

> "I believe that my background being an Asian is a strength."

After immigrating from Taiwan, Lisa Potter received an MBA from NYU Stern and a master’s in Human Resources from Cornell and has since gained experience in human resources and operations. A mother of two with a junior currently at PHS, she has been involved with the Princeton Chinese Language School and the PHS Football and Cheerleading Booster Club since her move to Princeton 15 years ago.

“I believe that my background being Asian is a strength — Princeton itself is close to 20 percent Asian, and, to date, there has not been a board member who is Asian-American. I do believe in being an inspiration, hopefully, [and] a role model,” Potter said.

The dismissal of former PHS principal Frank Chmiel initially drove Potter to join the board. Potter believes that her background in human resources would still be invaluable in helping fill other vacancies moving forward, including the position of superintendent. Potter feels that careful planning during the hiring process can help solve some of the retention issues the district faces. She added that developing a sense of security among staff will allow them to voice their opinions and create a better learning environment for teachers and students alike.

She aims to be a candidate who has the humility to recognize such complexity and collaborate with all stakeholders to find the best solutions for Princeton’s students and schools.

“I would encourage the voters to vote holistically ... Having that spectrum [of Board members] because they’re going to bring a slightly different perspective and opinion [is] just going to make our decision making so much more holistic,” Potter said.

### Chris Santarpio

> "I'm very active in the PTO at Community Park Elementary."

Christopher Santarpio is the co-chair of the Community Park PTO. Santarpio received an MBA from Rutgers University and a Bachelor of Science degree from Villanova University. He moved with his husband from Cherry Hill to Princeton in 2020 after enrolling his son in kindergarten at Community Park and quickly became involved with the school.

“I’m very active in the PTO at Community Park Elementary,” said Santarpio. “I started out as a room parent, then organized events such as ‘Steam Day’ for the entire school … where the students go [to different rooms] to have a 15–20 minute conversation or presentation [with groups like] the Princeton [University] robotics club and the rocket club.”

As an experienced PTO co-chair, Santarpio understands PPS’s slate of challenges and opportunities. To address these issues, he plans to implement a greater degree of collaboration with outside organizations like Sustainable Princeton.

“Princeton is such an amazing, special town [with] a wealth of organizations that are willing and want to help out,” said Santarpio. “I think a lot of the challenges that the school district faces can tap into [them] for additional help and support.”

As a parent, Santarpio has experienced communications issues firsthand. He plans to use his experience in supply chain operations to bridge communication gaps and ensure the district is running smoothly.

“I think an idea could be … to create a liaison between the district and [its] third party service providers, and that includes after school with the YWCA or the food services or any other outside vendors,” Santarpio said.

However, before putting his plans in action, as a new board member, he wishes to first understand how the board currently operates.

“I think the first thing, if elected, is just [to] observe [the] proven method that [the Board has] found success in … and identify those gaps [in the method] and improve them. And then that’s when we could tap into the local organizations to see if they could [provide] that knowledge base [not] already in the district,” Santarpio said. 

### Erica Snyder

> "It's really important that you find someone who... has a clear vision."

Director of Cherry Hill Nursery School and co-chair of Community Park Elementary’s PTO, Erica Snyder is another first-time candidate for BOE. Snyder holds a bachelor’s degree in education from DePaul University, a master’s in education technology from East Carolina University, as well as a Certificate in eLearning from Texas A&M University. Having frequently moved due to her husband’s army deployment, she wishes to utilize her experience teaching and working with administrators in multiple districts to help Princeton face its current challenges.

One of Snyder’s main focuses is the search for a new permanent superintendent to replace Dr. Kathleen Foster, who has been interim superintendent since October 2023.

“I think it’s really important that you find someone who wants to stay in the district and has a really clear vision on how to make changes and unite the district from pre-K all the way through 12[th grade],” Snyder said.

Additionally, Snyder plans to address a purported communication gap between the district and parents, particularly by making information about the PPS curriculum more available and facilitating contact between parents and relevant district officials.

“Sometimes it’s difficult to really understand [the] scope and sequence of … the middle school to high school pathway,” Snyder said.

Snyder plans to better support students with knowledge gaps that put them below grade level, particularly black and brown students. She would work to create alternative post-secondary pathways to success for students whose plans do not immediately involve college.

### Shenwei Zhao

> "I really want to hear from students."

Shenwei Zhao, a first-generation immigrant and IT professional, is running on a platform of openness and accountability. Zhao received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Shandong University, Master of Science degree from Ball State University, Zhao plans to use his backgrounds in both business and IT to help the board.

“I think there are some trust issues ... to be fixed I think the way [the BOE makes] decisions, and then the process they get input from the community, needs to be adjusted,” Zhao said.

Zhao cited the abrupt dismissal of former PHS Principal Frank Chmiel as a reflection of a lack of understanding between administration and students.

“We had a good principal in the school,” said Zhao. “Most people liked him, and nobody really knows what he was punished for. The superintendent left, and most people don’t know [why].”

Zhao believes that the diversity he would bring to the board would improve understanding between the board and Princeton community.

“I’m a first generation immigrant from China. The Asian population in the town and in school … 20 percent or even higher in the school, and I believe there needs to be some representation,” Zhao said. “Even though I don’t really support identity
politics ... I think there are some cultural
values that need to be collected in the decision
making for the board.”

Most importantly, he hopes for increased communication about the student experience. To facilitate this process, he encourages all PHS students to reach out to him.

“One thing that we’re missing as candidates is [recognizing] what [students want] ... The most important thing is the educational goal,” said Zhao. “I really want to hear from students. Regardless if I get elected or not, my message to everyone will be to go back, focus on what our kids need and provide the best environment.

Meet the candidates: 2024 Princeton Public School Board of Education election

Attendance in the state of New Jersey is governed by a simple guideline: every student can be absent up to ten percent of the 180-day school year before experiencing loss of course credit. Out of this simplicity, however, complex nuances can arise. PHS uses a variety of policies to ensure students maximize their time in classrooms and graduate with the required amount of credits. 
“At the high school level, you graduate by accumulation of credits. And if you are absent for more than 10 percent, which is where that 18 absences come from, then the state law says you automatically lose credit,” PHS Principal Cecilia Birge said. 
PHS assistant principals begin reviewing the attendance for every student immediately after graduation to determine who loses credit and who does not. For seniors, this process is especially crucial as New Jersey requires that they earn 120 total credits to graduate. Those who have exceeded the maximum number of absences face the consequence of not earning enough credits to graduate. 
Attendance and chronic absenteeism became a widespread issue following the pandemic, as circumstances caused many students to miss more than the 18 day limit for absences.
“The pandemic has disrupted learning so much. Remote learning was [not previously] considered [as] school days. It required an emergency executive order by the governor to allow remote learning to be a legitimate school day,” said Birge. “And then once school reopened its doors, students and families were reluctant to come back. [Of] the current seniors, more than half of them were not in the building in their freshman year.”
One of the policies PHS has implemented to help seniors recover credit is Saturday Academy, which will be held for two Saturdays during this school year. The academy operates for three hours in the morning and three hours in the afternoon. Since each hour counts for one absence, a senior who stays both times can recover six absences in just one day. As a result, seniors who are just one or two over 18 absences can still gain credit for their classes. 
While Saturday Academy does not have regular classes to accommodate every course each student has been absent in, the assistant principals in charge have planned out a way to incorporate some learning as the seniors study and make up for their missing work. 
“We didn't want it to be just a passive sitting seat recovery time, [so] we paid teachers [to come], like a social studies teacher, ... a math teacher, an ESL [teacher], Spanish language support, ... [and] even I went in there and provided some tutoring,” said Birge, recounting her experience from the Saturday Academy that took place two years ago.
During Saturday Academy, seniors are asked to write an appeal letter explaining their reasons for absences. All appeal letters are then reviewed by an Appeals Committee composed of various teachers and counselors, which then votes on whether or not a senior can receive credit for their classes.
“You leave it up to the people in the room to read your letter to say, ‘yes, this person can get credit in this class’ or ‘no, this person can’t get credit’ ... So at the end of the day, it is easier to just do what you’re supposed to do ... [instead of] leaving your future to the vote of people that might not personally know you,” said PHS Assistant Principal Rashone Johnson. 
Saturday Academy and the appeals process come into play only after students surpass the 18 day absence limit, after which they lose credit. Under current policy, students only receive consequences for attendance once they reach this threshold, so the school is debating the implementation of measures to deter students from missing class before it happens.
“Should we assign consequences like detention? So that [way] the warning is given earlier, rather than [waiting] till the end of the year,” Birge said.
However, the school acknowledges that reasons for absences vary by student.
“Each family is different; each student is different. [Everyone] has very different needs … Some students have school avoidance issues, other students have anxieties. Some students have sports needs, [and] other students [are] international students ... who often travel,” Birge said.
Acknowledging this, PHS accounts for needs or extenuating circumstances of individual students that may lead to extended absence, allowing attendance contracts and attendance meetings with the Assistant Principals. 
“Those [attendance] contracts are drafted to support the students–to be here for them to take charge of their own learning.he assistant principal [then] has the authority to approve the additional absences,” Birge said.
As a result, the PHS administration’s approach to addressing chronic absenteeism stresses individual guidance and monitoring.
“First [we] build that relationship [with our students], continue to monitor them and know their needs, and then navigate, create using different tools, create different programs, [and the continuation of] Saturday Academy,” said Birge. “So far, we're doing extraordinarily well. Our graduation rate is anywhere north of 98 percent each year…  Whatever it takes for us to carry them through that finish line, we do it.” 

Tower Investigates: Attendance at PHS

Begining on Monday, April 8, at 2:09 p.m., the moon’s shadow darkened the grounds of PHS as a solar eclipse traveled from Texas to Maine. Although Princeton was not in the path of totality, it did experience 90 percent eclipse, with peak totality at 3:24 p.m.. Students gathered outside PHS to experience the celestial event, observing the solar eclipse with viewer cards, thin cards with solar-filter cutouts that block ultraviolet and infrared lights, provided by the school in partnership with the Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) organization at Princeton University. 
Dr. Joy Barnes-Johnson, Science Supervisor for Grades 6–12, initiated the process of communicating with teachers earlier this year to plan for the viewing of the solar eclipse as a part of her vision to make this school year more memorable for science students within PPS. 
“How are we going to help every child experience science in a meaningful way? This year, we’ve had two celestial events. We had the partial eclipse in October, and then there’s this one,” said Barnes-Johnson. “My primary role as the supervisor is to cast vision in the beginning and make sure that we have a process in place to bring things into alignment with our vision.”
Getting solar eclipse viewers for students across the district was a collective effort between Barnes-Johnson, Littlebrook teacher Martha Friend, former PPS teacher Dr. Steven Carson, and Princeton University. 
“Dr. Carson is a veteran teacher here in Princeton. He’s got ... relationships with the faculty at the university. So, he was already working behind the scenes with Martha Friend over at Littlebrook [to] work with the university ... on getting [solar eclipse] viewers,” Barnes-Johnson said.
Carson, a 7th grade science teacher at Princeton Middle School, has a passion for Earth Science. He was previously a researcher in the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, and has worked with Princeton University’s Department of Geosciences. Given the two solar eclipses that were set to occur during the school year, Carson began planning early in the year.
“I’ve always been interested in science and ... astronomy. My first eclipse was probably back when I was in middle school ... we watched [it in] my backyard and my dad put together a little screen that we could project the sun onto. It was just such a fun time and I’ve seen other eclipses since that time ... I went to see the total eclipse in 2017 and it was pretty exciting,” said Carson.
He wanted to bring the celestial spectacle to his students, and allow everyone to experience this event, given that the next solar eclipse in mainland United States is in 20 years.
“I contacted the IMAP program and got in touch with people there. They had told me that  they had boxes of 1,500 viewers. I didn’t really need that many of them for the middle school  but then when I talked to Dr. Barnes-Johnson, I realized that 1,500 would be a good number for [PHS],” Carson said.
The solar eclipse glasses that were provided to PHS were the result of a partnership between the district and Princeton University, specifically the Astrophysics Department and IMAP. Barnes-Johnson hopes to build upon the schools’ connections in order to provide more stem-related opportunities for PPS students in the future. 
“[The glasses] were a complete donation, which is just beautiful ... I’m hoping to build on this so that we have several ways in which Princeton Public Schools can benefit from our close proximity with Princeton University. Making sure that we are able to capitalize in a meaningful way is key. My goal is to have more outreach opportunities where we can accept the outreach of the university and other organizations who want to support stem engagement,” Barnes-Johnson said.
With the university’s donation of the solar eclipse viewers providing a unique experience for students to safely view the eclipse, both Barnes-Johnson and Carson agreed that the opportunity was a chance for students to apply their scientific knowledge to phenomena in the real world. 
“We already spent some time modeling eclipses in the classroom but having this event happen makes it more real to [the students]. They could actually see some things we had talked about in the classroom ... which is truly really helpful in our science curriculum,” Carson said.

PHS watches the solar eclipse


   On March 18, 2020, Princeton Public Schools was mandated to close its doors in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Students logged onto virtual classrooms, using a video call platform that seemingly came out of nowhere: Zoom. Although many initially celebrated the “two weeks off school,” the “vacation” transformed into a quagmire of mask restrictions, endless screens, and a lasting health and educational calamity. Four years after the pandemic first began, PHS has returned to relative normalcy while nonetheless retaining significant changes left by the COVID-19 era, including adjustments in teaching methods, approaches to student well-being, and the overall culture of the school.
   Adapting to the virtual classroom during the pandemic, teachers were pushed to find and create new online resources to maintain student learning quality. The pandemic-induced embracement of digital learning tools allowed for online data collection during science classes and helped simulate in-person instruction. Many of these digital tools, including Formative, Gizmos, Pear Deck, and PHET Simulation, are now integrated into the post-COVID-19 classroom. 
   “I've always wanted to bring technology into my classroom. I think that I took the time [from COVID-19] to put a lot of my direct instruction online, and because I had the time to do that, it means that I lecture less in class and I allow for hands-on activities more in class,” said Chemistry teacher Janine Giammanco. “I think that the engagement in my class has really gone up because it's more student driven and it's more hands-on.” 
    However, not all teachers openly embraced technology even after COVID-19. Although online instruction forced teachers to move their classrooms onto Canvas, after this pandemic-led imperative no longer existed, some teachers moved away from online technology and back to traditional classroom teaching methods.
   “There's some teachers of all disciplines that are just in love with technology. You could gamify the Latin classroom. But I just think Latin lends itself to the way it's been learned for millennia,” said Latin teacher Nolis Arkoulakis. “There's also just a desire to make people interact with one another [more]. After COVID, people just wouldn't even speak to me, let alone to their colleagues [and peers].”
   Science teacher Alexander Henderson also finds that while the pandemic-adopted learning tools helped facilitate virtual instruction, the increased reliance on technology and digital communication during and after COVID-19 has made students more reluctant to partake in verbal classroom discussions with other students and teachers. 
   “I use a program called Formative where all my students submit answers as we're going through the lesson … because I've noticed that after the pandemic, a lot of students don't want to talk. They don't want to actually participate anymore … so to have it where everyone can submit their answer without even having to talk … I can assess everyone in general at the same time, which has been a very big benefit,” Henderson said. 
    In addition to increasing academic disengagement, the lack of structural classroom expectations during COVID-19 decreased the level of self-discipline and self-regulation generally expected of high school students. 
   “Students basically figured out that there is only so far we can humanly go to hold them accountable, and some have continued to take advantage of that,” said Gable. “There is a certain suspension of disbelief that is required for school to be a functioning institution, and virtual schooling really stretched that to the breaking point.”
   After students returned to in-person classrooms, the decrease in self-discipline inherited from virtual schooling extended beyond disengagement in core subjects and into disorganization in extracurricular activities, such as band. 
   “When we came back from COVID, [I] had to reintroduce practices and routines that were usually part of the fabric of what a band kid would know before they got [to PHS]. Showing up with your instrument and having your music and being ready to play was not standard practice,” said PHS Band Director Joe Bongiovi. “We had to actually teach a lot of basics that we didn't usually have to teach for band class.”
   As a response to the lack of student organization in the classroom, helping students learn and act on the expectations of a functional classroom has been a primary objective of many teachers. Anna Rose Gable, an ESL teacher at PHS, aims to rebuild the peer connectedness of the post-pandemic classroom through activities that encourage student-to-student interactions. 
   “Within my classrooms, I've really tried to build community not just between myself and my students, but also from student to student,” said Gable. “Even with my native-English-speaking students, I've found that students need a lot more structure now to meaningfully communicate with one another in small groups. I've become quite fond of using the ‘bicycle chain’ (also known as ‘speed-dating’) method of rapid one-on-one conversations about a fairly narrow set of questions.”
   Many teachers also underlined the heightened importance of understanding and supporting students on a personal level. Giammanco noted the increased need for structure in student interactions and highlighted the efforts to be sensitive to students facing challenges. 
   “I think that students want to know that you have their best interests at heart,” said Giammanco. “I've been [trying] to be particularly sensitive to students who may have late assignments or are struggling in class. I always try to contact their guidance counselor, contact home and talk to them personally more than I ever did before COVID, because you just don't know what students may still be struggling with after the pandemic.”
   To more extensively address elevated mental health struggles in students during and after COVID-19, PPS partnered with Effective School Solutions (ESS), a firm in New Jersey that focuses almost exclusively on adolescent mental health, in order to implement mental and behavioral support programs in Princeton Middle School and PHS. 
   “[This] is a level of service that we’ve never had before [the pandemic]. It’s what’s called tier two services. What’s provided by our counselors is basic tier one services, like check ins. If you have something that you are feeling uncomfortable about, you can go into their office and they help you to jump over [that] hurdle,” said PHS Principal Cecilia Birge. “Tier two is elevated in that you are not able to regulate emotions for an extended period of time that it’s creating a negative impact on your academics. That’s when we do more focused and more frequent checkins.”
   The administration has also been actively engaged in implementing initiatives to foster a renewed emphasis on in-person learning.
   “We don’t allow remote learning anymore and we recognize the value of face to face learning. We are creating a lot more opportunities for students to interact with each other in person so I think that we have really jumped through quite a lot of barriers and made significant progress.” said Birge. “[For example], 9th graders have learning labs [so that they] are all sitting together and you are not all sitting separately in the hallway with your devices to yourself; it’s not alone time, you are sitting together and are expected to do your work. There are also even PTO meetings that are all in person.”
   Birge outlines the school’s proactive steps in instilling structured frameworks across various facets of student life, acknowledging the importance of maintaining a balance between academic freedom and a strong sense of personal responsibility as well as ethical decision-making. 
   “[Over] the last two years or so, [PHS] began to build more structures around different activities,” Birge said. “One example [of this] is the student handbook; at the beginning of the school year we asked every student to sign the academic integrity pledge. [Additionally], there [are] more building monitors and teachers on duty. [We are] observing so that we as an administrative team can take that feedback and design programs and really enhance students’ leadership skills to [return to the normalcy of years prior].”
   Building on the commitment to address mental health challenges, the administration's efforts also aim to cultivate an environment where students can thrive not just academically but also engage in meaningful social interactions. 
   “Little by little we hope that students climb up that ladder of appreciating face to face communication, not replaceable by chatting with chat gpt or some bot on the internet, because we can develop trust and relationships when we have personal interactions among all of us,” said Birge. 


Four years after the pandemic began: how PHS has changed

On October 22, the PHS community received an email from the Board of Education stating that Dr. Carol Kelley would be resigning from her role as PPS Superintendent following a nine-month leave of absence. In a later email to parents and guardians, Kelley offered her own words of explanation.

“This week, after much consideration, I made the difficult decision to resign as Superintendent of Princeton Public Schools. For personal and professional reasons, I must take some time to reset and recenter myself so I can later return to public education and continue to positively impact students,” Kelley wrote in an email.

Following Kelley’s announcement, Rebecca Gold stepped in to serve as Acting Superintendent and Dr. Kathleen Foster was appointed as Interim Superintendent ten days later.

Gold and Foster are both long-time administrators, in Princeton and elsewhere. Gold served for more than 25 years in Lawrence Township, serving in various leadership positions, such as the Director of Personnel. She currently serves as the Interim Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources in PPS. The temporary role of Acting Superintendent added to her current responsibilities.

When asked to describe the role of Gold and the Interim Superintendent, Dafna Kendal, President of the Board of Education, said that it was important to have someone to “sign the checks,” or in other words, act as a formal authority in the district decisions made by the administrative team.

“The board wants someone in charge; even though we have a really strong administrative team, we just want that one person,” Kendal said.

Deeply familiar with Princeton’s educational landscape, Foster most recently served as the Interim Principal for Princeton High School following the dismissal of Frank Chmiel. Prior to that, she held a longstanding administrative position in Robbinsville before joining the PPS district in December 2021 as the Interim Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction. On November 13, the board approved her appointment as Interim Superintendent, which is expected to last for the rest of Kelley’s contractual term. 

According to Foster’s contract, the Board wants to “enhance administrative stability, financial security, and continuity within the schools while the Superintendent is on a leave of absence.”

Rashone Johnson, the assistant principal at PHS, believes that PHS is used to these types of changes and can adapt well to them.

“[The] high school administration is still going to do everything in our power to make sure that things still run smoothly for all of our students and staff,” Johnson said.

As PPS changes administrators, students and staff have found ways to continue to achieve the goals of the district, namely quality education. Kendal agreed that students and staff are at the core of the district.

“I think what makes our district great is our teaching staff. And, I know there have been a lot of administrative changes … [but] our teachers just continue doing their jobs and focus on teaching and learning. So while I think it’s important who we have as a leader of the district, I think we’re led by … [what is happening] in our buildings,” Kendal said.

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