Maintaining Level of Excellence in Public Schools is an Investment in the Future
To the Editor:
We have lived in Princeton since 2006. Our older son and younger daughter graduated from Littlebrook Elementary School, John Witherspoon Middle School, and Princeton High School. Our daughter graduated from PHS in 2024.
Although we no longer have children attending Princeton Public Schools, we enthusiastically support the upcoming three-question referendum. We want all students to have the same wonderful experiences and opportunities our kids had.
Why is there the need for this referendum? Princeton’s population is growing. Projections indicate that in the next five years, 10 percent of the town’s existing housing stock (at least 1,000 new housing units) will be added, with expected school age student enrollment to rise proportionately. We simply do not have the infrastructure to maintain small class sizes, excellent programming in science and the arts, and basic building needs like an updated HVAC system to meet these increased demands. PHS’ current inefficient HVAC system was last updated more than 20 years ago, and needs replacing. For this update alone, cost savings in energy and maintenance are anticipated to be approximately $200,000 per year.
In order to qualify for the maximum state aid, the referendum proposes renovation, not new construction. If all three questions pass, PPS will receive approximately $20 million from the state, which is about 15 percent of the total cost of proposed projects.
One of the reasons our property taxes are high is to support our first-rate public schools. When the referendum passes, the total cost per average assessed household is $532. This amount per household will translate into over 20 new classrooms, new science labs, improved music and common areas, and strengthened safety features.
Many of us moved to Princeton because of the superb public schools. Maintaining this level of excellence — supporting neighborhood schools, small class sizes, recruiting and keeping talented teachers — is an investment in the future. A bonus is ever-increasing home values.
We were lucky to attend exceptional public schools (Abigail is a proud PHS alum). We understand the valuable services offered by an outstanding public school system, and the opportunities that can be available to every student.
Please join us as we vote “yes” on Questions 1, 2, and 3 on January 28.
For more information, please see the excellent and informative link at sites.google.com/princetonk12.org/pps-referendum-2025/home.