To the Editor:

I am pleased to endorse and encourage others to vote for Michele Tuck-Ponder (Line #3) in the upcoming school board election. In Michele, we have an opportunity to strengthen our board with a person who possesses a proven record of civil service, commitment to our community and the exceptional knowledge and ability to bring people together.

As a former teacher (retired) in the Princeton Public School system for 41 years, I had a bird’s eye view of how our school system operated. Although our system is already considered to be amongst the best in the nation, there remains a great deal of room for improvement to ensure that all our children benefit. No one understands this town better than Michele, nor the myriad of issues and challenges that must be addressed to improve opportunities for all our children.

Among her many leadership qualities, I have great respect for her commitment to institutional transparency which allows all community stakeholders to be informed, collaborative, and supportive. She brings people together on tough issues. This is more important now than ever as we face major budgetary concerns, increases in the student population, focus on the health and mental wellness of students, the need for greater diversity amongst our faculty and administrators, and a growing desire to improve the opportunities and outcomes for all our students regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, or gender orientation.

Michele’s service to this town is worth repeating. Not only was she mayor of Princeton Township for three years, she served on Town Council for six years, and served as police commissioner for two years. She’s been on many non-profit boards, committees, task forces and a consistent presence in the schools as an advocate for children besides her own.

I’m pulling the lever for Michele. I encourage those who want the best for our community to do the same.

Frances Broadway Craig
Maclean Street