By Donald Gilpin

Robert Ginsberg, principal of Johnson Park Elementary School (JP) for the past 21 years, will be stepping into the job of Princeton Public Schools (PPS) acting assistant superintendent on July 1, replacing outgoing Assistant Superintendent Annie Gonzalez Kosek, who is retiring at the end of June after 17 years at PPS. The appointment is subject to the approval of the county superintendent.

In a letter to the school community on Tuesday, Superintendent Steve Cochrane, who will be stepping down at the end of June, noted that the district would be initiating an internal search and looking to appoint an acting principal at JP by the end of June, with a full and comprehensive search for a permanent principal to follow.

Cochrane described Ginsberg as “our most seasoned administrator,” who will be “an outstanding source of wisdom and support”  to the faculty and staff and to recently appointed new Interim Superintendent Barry Galasso.

Before coming to JP, Ginsberg was principal at Littlebrook Elementary School from 1988 through 1998, then served as PPS assistant superintendent for a year before requesting transfer back to being principal, this time at JP,  in 1999.

“I am incredibly grateful to Bob for his willingness to help shepherd our district through this current crisis and into what I truly believe will be a new era in the evolution of education,” Cochrane wrote.