The Princeton Public Schools Board of Education expects to appoint a professional search consultant to aid in its search for a permanent superintendent of schools at a special meeting Sept. 11.
The goal is to name a new superintendent of schools to take the helm on July 1, 2025. Superintendent of Schools Carol Kelley requested – and was granted – a paid leave of absence in October 2023, in advance of her Aug. 31 resignation. Her contract would have expired June 30, 2025.
Kelley’s tenure as superintendent of schools was punctuated by the dismissal of a popular Princeton High School principal in March 2023. Former Princeton High School Principal Frank Chmiel appealed his dismissal before the full school board, but Kelley’s recommendation was upheld in a split vote.
The school district is being led by Interim Superintendent of Schools Kathie Foster. Her contract ends June 30, 2025.
Ramping up its superintendent search process, the school district sent out a request for proposals for a search consultant Aug. 1. The deadline to apply to the request for proposals – which is similar to an advertisement – was Sept. 4.
The school board will review the responses to it request for proposals and is expected to make its appointment at the Sept. 11 special meeting.
Meanwhile, the school board has established an Ad Hoc Superintendent Search Committee to oversee the logistics of the superintendent search process.
The ad hoc committee consists of school board members Betsty Baglio, who chairs the committee, and Dafna Kendal, Eleanor Hubbard, Mara Franceschi and Rob Christopher. He is the Cranbury Public Schools representative to the school board. Cranbury sends its high school students to Princeton High School.
A draft revised description of the superintendent of schools’ duties also has been prepared. The school board will approve the job description at the Sept. 11 special meeting.
Baglio said the full school board will participate in all aspects of the superintendent search process by reviewing documents, such as the revised job description.
However, the school board, as it is presently constituted, will not appoint a new superintendent of schools, Baglio said. The decision will be made by the school board that takes office in January 2025, following the Nov. 5 general election.
Two of the three incumbent school board members are not seeking re-election. There are six candidates for three open seats, so the makeup of the school board will change.
Baglio also explained the timing of the hiring of a new superintendent, which the board hopes to have he/she in place to start work July 1, 2025.
Candidates do not wait until Jan. 1 to apply for a job that starts July 1, she said. The successful applicant would likely have to give 90 days’ notice to the current employer that he or she will be taking another job.
Given the 90-day notice requirement, it means the school board would have to approve a contract for the new superintendent by its March 2025 meeting, she said. The contract also must be approved by the Mercer County Executive Superintendent of Schools.
“We need to start now,” Baglio said.
The school board plans to update residents about the superintendent search at each of its public meetings. Also, there will be a superintendent search page on the school district’s website at www.princetonk12.org.
Community engagement is key, Baglio said. Surveys and focus groups are being planned to engage the community in the superintendent search process.
