By Wendy Greenberg

Tiffany Brennan

There will be two new administrators in the Princeton Public Schools (PPS) this fall. At the June 13 Board of Education (BOE) meeting, the Board voted on Superintendent Carol Kelley’s recommendation that Tiffany Brennan be hired as the supervisor of mathematics and business education for grades six through 12, and the board appointed John McCann as Princeton Middle School assistant principal.

Brennan, who is currently the supervisor of science, technology, engineering, and math in the Robbinsville Public School District, is replacing Stephenie Tidwell. McCann is a teacher in the middle school, and replaces Jessica Kilgore, who will be an elementary school principal in another district.

Brennan will supervise the development, implementation, and assessment of the math and business curricula. The search to fill the math position was led by a diverse committee of community members including BOE representatives, parents, educators, and administrators, according to the PPS, and Brennan was the unanimous choice.

It was reported in Town Topics in May that PPS launched a comprehensive Math Program Review, which will include surveys and focus groups of students, teachers, and the community, plus classroom observations and a review of professional development. The department has been challenged by some declining test scores, and staffing challenges stemming from the pandemic.

Brennan, who has been a supervisor and teacher in the Robbinsville Public School District for 14 years, earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and master’s  degree in mathematics education from Rutgers University.

She explained why it was important for students to have a good foundation in mathematics: “Learning math isn’t just about getting the correct answer to a problem,” she said. “Learning math teaches students to problem solve, to try something different when the first idea didn’t work, and to think in logical steps to persevere through something difficult. Computer science works the same way. In both math and business classes, just like in life, you’ll be asked to use what you previously learned in a new way.”

In her own experience, she said, teachers mattered. “Math was always something I was good at, but the teachers I had throughout middle and high school really made an impact on me. The great ones made me love it, and the not-so-great ones made math more of a struggle. As the daughter of a chemical engineer and an elementary school teacher, working hard in school wasn’t optional. They knew that success in math and science could open so many doors in my future.”

Brennan added that “it wasn’t until I got my SAT scores back  that I realized that not only did I like math, I was actually good at it! My parents stressed that having a major of math in college would leave me with many more career options than if I chose a school that allowed me to major in education.”

In college she realized she would be better suited to teach secondary math than in an elementary school (despite her mother being a third grade teacher). After teaching, “administration was a natural progression for me. I love math, and want to help as many students love it as possible. A great teacher can help even the students who don›t love math appreciate that it›s worth learning, and this role lets me help teachers help students.”

When she is not at school, Brennan can be found in a pool officiating at a swim meet, she said, or with her family of four children.

John McCann

McCann, who has taught social studies at Princeton Middle School for 21 years, has also been a coach for numerous middle school and high school athletic teams over the years. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history at Princeton University, where he played basketball, and a law degree at Temple University, as well as a master of school leadership from American College of Education. At Princeton Middle School, he has worked with the Civics in Action Program.

Asked what traits make a good assistant principal, he said that being a strong communicator and having excellent interpersonal skills are important because “being an assistant principal involves working with many constituencies — students, parents, staff, and members of the community.”

McCann said he enjoys problem solving. “I have always looked to work for ways to bring people together and work through problems and issues,” he said. “I had served in leadership roles in and out of education and, in each of these roles, I tried to think creatively and collaboratively to bring a solution-oriented mindset to tackle complex problems.”

Working in camps and with young people inspired McCann’s interest in teaching. “Additionally, teachers had a big impact on my development as a person and were some of the most influential people in my life,” he said. “Education has the power to transform, and to be a part of it is special. After more than 20 years of teaching and after serving in many leadership roles, I feel as though I have a lot of ideas to improve our school community and I am also excited for the opportunity to lead and support the great work that happens in our schools.”

McCann has learned a lot from being a parent, he said. “As a parent it helps you see additional sides of issues facing education. I am always looking for opportunities to grow and learn as a person. I try to embrace opportunities that take me out of my comfort zone because that is when I feel as if real growth happens.”

The search to fill the assistant principal position was led by a committee which included staff, administrators, and parents. More than 100 candidates applied for the position and McCann was the first choice of all  committee members, according to the BOE.