To the Editor:

I am proud to write in support of Dafna Kendal’s candidacy for the Princeton Public Schools Board of Education. Dafna has a unique ability to make decisions in the best interests of the students, while always being mindful of budgetary and tax impacts. Dafna has proven her commitment to our students and to the community during her recent term on the Board. Her many accomplishments demonstrate how deeply she engages in everything she does. It is impossible to enumerate all Dafna has done in a brief letter. Some of her achievements for the school district include:

Dafna was instrumental in the passage of the later start time at PHS, which has been proven to improve students’ health.

She fostered a fair and respectful relationship with the Teachers’, Administrative, and Support Staff Unions and led the contract negotiations which extended their contracts until 2020.

In 2018 Dafna negotiated approximately $800,000 in voluntary payments from nonprofit institutions including the Institute for Advanced Study and the Princeton Theological Seminary. These payments go directly to the district’s operating budget.

Upon her review of the Cranbury send/receive agreement, Dafna discovered that Cranbury was not fully reimbursing the district for special education services. This discovery will result in at least $120,000 of additional funds annually to the district’s operating budget.

She worked to make Board activities and decisions transparent and interactive by adding public comment at the beginning of each Board meeting. She also instituted providing written summaries of Board meetings to the PPS community.

It is clear that Dafna is committed to Princeton Public Schools, from her experience as treasurer on the Executive Board of the Littlebrook PTO, to her recent service on the Board. She has also volunteered in our community in other ways, as a founding trustee of the Princeton Children’s Fund, softball coach for Princeton Little League, and by mentoring a first-generation PHS student for three years through the Give Back Foundation.

Dafna has the energy, smarts, and thoughtfulness to make the best decisions for our kids and community.  Please join me as I enthusiastically support Dafna Kendal with a vote for experience, commitment, and competence.

Abigail Rose
Wheatsheaf Lane