By Donald Gilpin

In just three months, on November 5, Princeton voters will select three names from a slate of six —five new candidates and one incumbent — to represent them for three-year terms on the Princeton Public Schools (PPS) Board of Education (BOE).

BOE members Brian McDonald, who is running unopposed for a seat on Princeton Council, and Betsy Baglio will finish out their terms on the Board on January 1, 2025 and are not running for reelection. Mara Franceschi is the one incumbent running for reelection.

New candidates, all with children in PPS, include local business leaders Ari Meisel, Chris Santarpio, Lisa Potter, and Shenwei Zhao and nursery school director Erica Snyder.

Franceschi, who serves as co-chair of the BOE Personnel Committee and a member of the Board’s Operations and Long Term Planning committees, has worked in the financial services and asset management industries and as a chartered financial analyst. Her daughter will be a ninth grader at Princeton High School (PHS) this year, one son a rising senior at PHS, and her oldest son will be entering Georgetown University.

“I am running for a second term because I believe experience matters to ensure continued future success, especially with upcoming district challenges,” Franceschi wrote in an email. “Chief among those challenges is balancing our aging facilities against a backdrop of the rapidly increasing growth in town, leading to increased student enrollment.”

Franceschi alluded to the referendum vote coming up early next year, stating, “My experience and breadth of knowledge make me the best candidate to help lead us through this process.”

She went on to emphasize the value of her financial background “in the ever-present and significant challenge of managing the structural deficit inherent in our budget and the regular budget stressors faced by the district.” She added, “My experience allows me to balance critical, necessary investments in our schools while keeping tax increases to a minimum, which is always at the forefront of my decision-making.”

Franceschi also mentioned the upcoming BOE search for a new permanent PPS superintendent. “As a first-time participant, I bring fresh eyes to the process, while simultaneously benefiting from my years of Board experience, which will allow me to better evaluate the skills required of an excellent superintendent who will become an integral part of our district and schools,” she said.

Running on a platform of “excellence, efficiency, and engagement,” Potter is a corporate executive and community leader with a daughter who recently graduated from PHS and a son who is a rising junior.

“I am running for the Princeton Board of Education to bring my expertise and commitment to our schools,” Potter wrote on her website. She cites stable leadership, operational efficiency, transparent communication, and community engagement as her priorities.

“My experience in talent acquisition, especially in executive search, will be instrumental in hiring a visionary superintendent to guide our schools forward,” she said. “We need stable, long-term leadership with a clear vision to set objectives and lead us forward.”

Potter went on to emphasize the importance of making cost-effective decisions. “Throwing money at problems doesn’t always solve them,” she wrote. “Before spending more on consultants, we should ask our talented teachers and staff, who are on the front lines and often have valuable insights for improving our schools. By tapping into this resource, we can implement practical and cost-effective measures that benefit our entire community.”

Zhao, who has been an active participant in meetings on local and school issues since moving to Princeton in 2016, is a business owner and IT engineer with a son going into seventh grade at Princeton Charter School.

“I would like to help our schools to operate more effectively,” he wrote on his website. “As an engineer, I have designed, integrated, maintained, and fixed many systems. As a business owner and consultant for almost two decades, I understand the importance of nurturing good relationships with diverse clients and stakeholders. The BOE’s responsibilities fall into similar categories.”

Zhao cited four particular goals that he would pursue: “allocate appropriate resources and support to raise the level of achievement among all students”; “create a healthy and rewarding environment in recruiting good teachers and school administrators during the teacher shortage”; “improve mental health for every student and faculty member by identifying and hopefully limiting negative or even toxic school environments”; and “help schools to become bridges that bring communities together.”

He wrote on his website, “We, as a community, need to work together to restore excellence and elevate PPS to new heights, build it even better than before.”

Commentary and brief profiles of BOE candidates Meisel, Santarpio, and Snyder were included in a July 24 Town Topics front page article. More remarks and information from all six candidates will be reported in the coming months leading up to the election.