To the Editor:

I am writing to enthusiastically endorse Afsheen Shamsi for re-election to Princeton’s School Board. Afsheen has been a friend for years and we have worked together on several projects over that period. As a parent of a child with special needs, Afsheen truly understands and empathizes with the range of issues facing families in that situation, and it has informed her commitment to addressing such problems as racial profiling and bullying in our schools.

But she does not limit her involvement only to problems directly affecting her and her family. She is happy to roll up her sleeves and take the lead on tasks as diverse as crisis communications and facilities renovations. I am in awe of her energy, dedication, and thoroughness as I watch her juggle the needs of her consulting business, her family, her Board responsibilities, and her ongoing efforts to strengthen her qualifications by pursuing a Masters in Strategic Communications at Columbia University.

We as a community are lucky to have a person like Afsheen willing to serve in the capacity of school board member, and I urge all of you to come out and cast your vote for her on election day, to help ensure we continue to benefit from her talents in the coming years.

David E. Cohen

Terhune Road

To the Editor:

I would like to thank the four candidates for the Princeton Public Schools Board of Education for their willingness to run and serve. It is rewarding work, and I encourage more members of the community to do the same.

I write to ask voters to support my colleague Afsheen Shamsi. Afsheen is a dedicated and experienced public servant who is an effective voice for all students. I have worked with her to explore ways to increase communication and dialogue between the district and the community. I have been impressed by her advocacy for students — in particular, those from underserved communities and those with individualized needs. Alas, much of the Board’s work is done in confidential closed sessions, which makes it difficult for the community to learn of her work, and to measure her impact.

The Princeton community will benefit by Afsheen’s continued service on the board, and I enthusiastically support her candidacy.

Lastly, state law requires that I note that while I am a member of the Board of Education, I have written this letter as a private citizen and the views expressed are solely my own.

Tom Hagedorn

Chestnut Street