By Donald Gilpin

With September fast approaching, new heads are preparing to lead Princeton Day School (PDS) and the Hun School into the coming school year, while the Princeton Public Schools (PPS) continues its search for a new principal for Princeton High School (PHS).

Kelley Nicholson-Flynn

On July 1, Kelley Nicholson-Flynn officially took over as head of PDS, succeeding Paul Stellato, who stepped down after 15 years at the helm.

“Each August, I still feel the familiar twinge that comes with a new school year — a mix of eagerness, hopefulness, and a dash of nervous excitement,” she wrote in an email.  “So much is unknown at every beginning, but I believe in embracing those uncertainties. This sense of being ‘all in’ is how I approached my new role, immersing myself in the culture of Princeton Day School and  focusing on creating an experience for our students that puts them at the center of every decision made. In doing so, even just in these two short months, my belief in the work taking place at PDS has been deeply reinforced.”

Before coming to PDS Nicholson-Flynn was the assistant head of school for operations at Riverdale Country School in the Bronx, N.Y. Before that she was head of the upper school at Riverdale. She began her teaching career at the Lawrenceville School in 1998, where she worked for 14 years in various roles, including science department chair, interdisciplinary program chair, and teaching and learning programs coordinator.

At the Hun School, Bart Bronk officially became head of school last month, succeeding Jon Brougham, who retired after 14 years as Hun’s head. Bronk came to Hun from his position as head of school at University Liggett School in Grosse Pointe, Mich., where he had served for 11 years, five years as head.

“I have been so grateful for the warm welcome I’ve received in my first month on campus,” Bronk wrote in an email.

“The kindness and sense of community for which Hun is so well known has been palpable in my many interactions with students, parents, colleagues, trustees, and friends of the school.”

Bart Bronk

He continued, “The experienced and dedicated administration, faculty, and staff is well prepared for the arrival of our some 700 students at the end of the month, and we are ready to deliver on the promise of the joyful and vigorous experience — in classrooms, on the stage, and on the athletics fields — that is central to Hun’s mission.”

Bronk went on to note that the Hun middle school is celebrating its 50th anniversary this school year with record enrollment and that the upper school is welcoming students from 22 countries and 13 states in September and looking forward to breaking ground next June on a new residence hall with 60 dorm rooms and 12 faculty apartments.

As the search process continues for the new PHS principal, a search committee of more than 20 stakeholders has been formed, including employees, parents, and Board of Education observers. The district received applications from both internal and external candidates, and all applications have been carefully screened, according to a PPS statement. 

“The next phase is to bring the candidates in for in-person interviews with the full search committee,” the statement continued. Interviews will be scheduled in late August, at which time another update will be provided.

Kathie Foster continues to serve as PHS interim principal, as she has since April.