By Donald Gilpin

Brian McDonald

Brian McDonald, an incumbent seeking his second three-year term on the Princeton Public Schools (PPS) Board of Education (BOE), is in the spotlight this week, providing information about his background, why he got involved with the schools, why he wants to continue on the Board, and what his priorities are for the future of the district.

New candidates Mara Franceschi and Jeffrey Liao, and incumbent Betsey Baglio will be competing with McDonald in the November 2 election for three available seats on the BOE. Franceschi was featured in last week’s issue, and Town Topics will present profiles of Liao on September 29 and Baglio on October 6.

McDonald, 61, is a sculptor and designer who also advises nonprofits on matters of governance, strategy, finance, and fundraising. He has extensive experience in strategic planning, operations, municipal and corporate finance, and management, especially change management.

A 1983 Princeton University graduate, McDonald served from 2002-10 as the University’s vice president for development, overseeing all its fundraising activities and managing a staff of more than 160 professionals and a budget of $25 million. Before joining the University, he worked in public finance at Kidder Peabody & Co. and The First Boston Corporation, and as an entrepreneur in the restaurant, music, and fine arts fields.

He served for seven years on the town’s Citizen’s Finance Advisory Council, where he helped develop policies on capital spending, debt management, and making the town’s finances more transparent and understandable. He also served as a trustee of McCarter Theatre for 17 years, including five years as president; a trustee of the Watershed Institute; and he is a trustee and treasurer of Sustainable Princeton.

“I am grateful to have had the opportunity to live in Princeton for more than two decades; to raise three children here with my wife Leah; and to serve our community in many volunteer roles, including most recently as a member of the Board of Education,” McDonald wrote (as an individual, not as a member or on behalf of the Board of Education). “There are few things more important to our society than high-quality public education. Growing up, I attended excellent public schools, and all of my children have gone through Princeton’s public schools, from Littlebrook through PHS. Leah (McDonald) is an active community volunteer who has been very engaged in the public schools. She shares my commitment to the community.

“I have been involved in youth education and coaching for most of my adult life. On the BOE I have chaired the Finance and Facilities committees, and currently co-chair the Operations Committee. I have also served on the Policy and Personnel committees and the Student Affairs Committee (as an alternate). I participated in hiring Dr. Carol Kelley as superintendent and supported the administration’s improved budgeting process and cost-saving initiatives, making critical investments in our school facilities while also keeping tax increases as low as possible.

“While our schools are excellent by many measures, the experiences of our schoolchildren have varied greatly over many decades. Like our society, our schools continue to struggle with persistent problems of racism and economic inequities, and not all of our children are being educated as well as they should be. For too long, and particularly at the high school, our students’ mental and physical health and wellness have not been sufficiently addressed. I am encouraged by the steps the district is taking to address these and other longstanding issues, and I would like to continue my service for another term to press for continued improvement.

“Our schools are at a critical point in their history. The Board needs to make important decisions about aging facilities; issues pertaining to the health, safety, security, and fair treatment of our students, teachers and staff; and increasing enrollment. Every taxpayer dollar must be spent wisely, and our facilities must be maintained at a high level and be designed to provide equitable and inclusive learning spaces.

“My goals include supporting our new superintendent as she seeks to build on what is great about our schools while addressing our need to do better in ensuring that all children receive an excellent education and have the opportunity to fulfill their potential. We must strive to be excellent stewards of our physical, financial, and human resources, and to strengthen communication and engagement with the entire community, not just the 20 percent of the town’s households who have children in the public schools.”

Voters in the upcoming election will not receive vote-by-mail ballots (which must be mailed in or placed in a special drop box) unless they have requested one.

Early in-person voting will take place October 23-31 at any one of Mercer County’s eight in-person early-voting locations, and, of course, registered voters can vote by mail by November 2 Election Day or vote in person at their polling locations on Election Day.

Visit “Elections” on the Mercer County clerk’s website at mercercounty.org to register, to apply for vote-by-mail ballots, or to find early-voting locations or regular polling locations.