Candidate Erica Snyder Explains Why She Is Running for Princeton Board of Education
To the Editor:
In 2021, my husband and I moved our family of five to Princeton. After 13 years as an “Army wife” that sent us to North Carolina, Georgia, Texas, and the United Nations in New York City, we chose Princeton in great part because of its reputation for excellent public schools. My kids quickly settled in, making friends at Community Park Elementary School and at soccer and hockey practices. I also settled in, connecting with other families on the sidelines, through CP’s Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), and at Cherry Hill Nursery School, which my youngest attended and where I’m now proud to serve as director. I began to understand both the great strengths and challenges that the Princeton Public Schools and the supporting community face to maintain their reputation for excellence and build even stronger schools.
I am running for the Princeton Board of Education because I care deeply about our students’ futures and the stability of the district, and I believe I have important skills and experience that can contribute to their success. As a former teacher and an education consultant (while my husband served the U.S. Army, I served in classrooms, schools and districts around the country as an instructional coach), I bring a wealth of experience in education technology, strategic planning, curriculum design, and educational leadership.
If elected to the Princeton Board of Education, I would focus on:
Closing Educational Gaps: Students are still recovering from learning loss, and we need to close educational gaps for all learners, particularly low-income, special education, and black and brown students. I am committed to creating equitable opportunities for all of our students to thrive.
Superintendent Search: We need a comprehensive superintendent search for a charismatic and trustworthy candidate with a clear vision to unite and innovate the district. Finding the right leader is crucial for our community’s growth and progress.
District Communication: I believe we need to increase transparency and reduce the miscommunications coming from the district to the community. Effective communication is key to building trust and ensuring that all voices are heard.
My career, enriched by skills such as education technology, standards and competency-based grading, strategic planning and master scheduling, school budgeting, curriculum and instruction design, teacher leader support, and educational leadership, has deeply informed my approach to how to address the issues facing Princeton today. I hope that you, my neighbors, consider giving me the opportunity to serve you on the Board of Education this November.
For more information about me and my platform, visit ericasnyderforboe.com or email ericasnyderforboe@gmail.com.