To the Editor:

During this election cycle, rumors are circulating that the two Asian candidates for BOE are racist. These accusations are not just absurd — they are divisive and dangerous. Whispered within the community, they sow distrust and disconnection. People I once considered friends now avoid my gaze. Neighbors have grown distant, treating me like an outsider in a place where I’ve worked hard to serve and belong.

This smear campaign feels eerily familiar. When my family first arrived in America, we lived in a rough part of Hollywood. My mother, a single parent who didn’t speak English, worked as a housekeeper in Beverly Hills. My brother and I stayed in a motel, watched over by an auntie who provided us with a foothold in this new life. more

To the Editor:

Every time I drive by Princeton Theological Seminary’s Tennent/Roberts/Whiteley campus located between Edgehill Street and Hibben Road, my heart sinks. Trees have been cut down, three buildings have been razed, and a multi-family development by Herring Properties has been challenged by concerned neighbors and town citizens at public hearings.

One of Princeton’s major assets is its historic neighborhood. I grew up in The Barracks on 32 Edgehill Street and later my husband and I purchased it from my parents. (My father, Lewis B. Cuyler, was president of the Princeton Historical Society). I ask myself, “What was the Seminary thinking when it decided to sell their historic campus (originally Hun School) to Herring Properties?” How can the PTS sell property to a developer who has plans for 238 apartments? Five acres with three- to four- story buildings and underground parking. A monstrosity in a historic district. It’s irresponsible.

Why not preserve Princeton’s valuable historic district as is? The Barracks was a hospital during the French and Indian War and once again, served as a hospital for British and Hessian soldiers during the Battle of Princeton. The Stocktons lived in the house as Morven was being built. Other houses on Edgehill have historic significance as well. It’s a travesty that Princeton’s town Council seems married to the financial gain of a modern apartment building in the heart of Princeton’s historic district at the expense of Princeton’s earliest neighborhood and its historical integrity.

Margery Cuyler
Birchwood Court

To the Editor:

This is our first letter to Town Topics and we are doing so to endorse Erica Snyder’s candidacy for a seat on the PPS Board of Education.

Erica’s daughter is classmates with our first-grade daughter at Community Park. We have always been impressed by Erica’s commitment to public service and her extensive experience as an educator. While working full time she nonetheless served as a co-president of the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), helping facilitate community activities that immediately allowed new families like ours and so many others to feel at home at Community Park. Also, at a school with significant income disparities among its families, Erica oversaw fundraising initiatives that ensured that all families were able to participate fully in extracurricular activities regardless of their ability to pay. And she did this in the aftermath of the pandemic and the massive disruption this caused for the PTO and the rest of the community. more

To the Editor:

Council’s foresight to preserve and utilize the Westminster Choir College campus is commendable.  We have not heard how this purchase will be utilized, so we look forward to public input from our residents for how this asset can be utilized with minimal cost to Princeton’s residents. With the wisdom and financial acumen of our neighbors, we should reconsider past municipal practices of retaining costly consultants who know less about Princeton than its residents.

Use of the existing classroom buildings by the BOE may be feasible if large expenditures are not required to update the facilities to a state-of-the-art design statement. The $49 million purchase price could easily generate additional costs if the entire 23-acre campus is not considered as an income producing opportunity. more

To the Editor:

Several people have reached out to me seeking clarification on my response to a question asked at the PTOC Candidate Forum Webinar on October 1. Before I dive into the details, please let me share the exact question:

In PPS, librarians and educators choose the books housed in the school libraries. Do you think the Board should be involved in choosing or banning books?

Based on the pre-set rule, I was the first to respond to this question. I admit that I was initially a bit confused by how the question was worded. I later had a chance to discuss this with the PTOC Forum organizers at a “Meet the Candidates” event, and I got the sense that they might have agreed with me that the question could have been phrased better, especially since it was presented in a simple “yes or no” format. more

To the Editor:

I have had the pleasure of knowing Mara Franceschi since I moved to Princeton nine years ago and the opportunity of working with her as a PTO officer at Johnson Park Elementary School for many years. I am grateful for her contributions on the Board of Education and am excited to support her reelection for a second term.

Mara’s candidacy is an obvious choice to me due to her extensive experience as a Board member. She not only understands the role’s responsibilities, but embodies the leadership qualities needed to mentor new Board members over the next three years. But it is not just her experience that I find invaluable, it is her commitment and dedication to our school district that I have witnessed that garners my unwavering support. For over 14 years, she has given her time, talent and energy to our school district, children and community. Her advocacy for all children and her determination to maintain our district’s high standards sets her apart.  more

To the Editor:

We are writing to express our strong support for Chris Santarpio and Erica Snyder as candidates for our Princeton Public Schools’ Board of Education. As a family committed to our public schools for over 20 years, we have witnessed firsthand the profound impact that quality and equitable education has on our community. Chris and Erica’s commitment to inclusion and equity is both commendable and essential.

Chris and Erica have a proven track record of working well together and collaborating with others. As co-presidents of the Community Park PTO, they have successfully brought parents, teachers, and administrators together to create a more supportive school environment. Their ability to foster teamwork and engage diverse perspectives has led to initiatives that benefit all students. more

To the Editor:

We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the Princeton community for their overwhelming support of Housing Initiatives of Princeton’s (HIP) annual Rent Party on Saturday, October 5. With your sustained help these past 22 years, we have had a transformational impact on the lives of thousands of families and individuals facing homelessness — and will continue to do so thanks to the success of this year’s Rent Party, themed “Light the Way Home.

Last year, we lit the way home for more than double the number of people we served over the previous year, as need continues to rise due to the ongoing housing shortage. HIP helped 318 adults and children last fiscal year by providing either eviction prevention funds to help keep them in their existing home or a security deposit to get them into their own housing.  more

To the Editor:

It is very difficult, at this particular juncture of weather emergencies and idiocy of outlandish, inaccurate, political positing to highlight and support a local Princeton restaurant.

And yet, here we are, writing to everyone to visit and enjoy our favorite restaurant in our neighborhood.

Trattoria Proccacini is a small restaurant in the Jugtown area of Princeton. It sits next to Whole Earth, another important mainstay to this area of town. There is plenty of parking and it’s BYO.  more

To the Editor:

As parents of students in Riverside, Johnson Park, Littlebrook, and Community Park elementary schools, we are writing to express our strong support for Chris Santarpio in the upcoming School Board election. We got to know Chris last year when PPS partnered with parents from across the district to address major challenges with a new aftercare provider. We found Chris to be caring, collaborative, and responsive in working with all four elementary schools.

For those of us who work full time, having access to affordable, high-quality aftercare is essential not only for our peace of mind but for the development and well-being of our children. These programs offer more than just supervision — they provide academic support, social interaction, and a safe environment where our kids can thrive outside of school hours. Last September, a brand-new provider showed alarming lapses in personnel background checks and training. PPS immediately created a Parent Advisory Committee with representatives from the four affected elementary schools to interview alternative aftercare providers. Chris Santarpio was one of the representatives from Community Park and was a strong collaborator with other parents and administrators, offering helpful insights during the selection process.  more

To the Editor:

Nestled inside historic Princeton, set off from the town’s illustrious university, Gilded Age mansions, and touristy downtown, sits a small residential neighborhood of exceptional importance to the nation’s heritage. Located beside what was once the King’s Highway, it includes, within a quarter-mile radius, homes that served as permanent or temporary residences to renowned figures ranging from James Madison and Alexander Hamilton to Albert Einstein. At one end is Frog Hollow, site of an important engagement in the pivotal Revolutionary War Battle of Princeton in 1777. A former farmhouse nearby stood witness to that battle; it was also the family home, pre-Morven, of Richard Stockton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

The neighborhood’s streets include numerous significant examples of early domestic architecture, including several built in the mid-1830s by the celebrated designer Charles Steadman. Generations of civic-minded Princetonians have maintained scrupulous stewardship of the area, obtaining historical registry listings and historic neighborhood designations, safeguarding what the town has regarded as one of its irreplaceable treasures.  more

To the Editor:

We are writing to enthusiastically endorse Mara Franceschi’s reelection to the Princeton Public Schools Board of Education. Having known Mara for years and worked closely with her on the PTO Council (PTOC), we can attest that Mara cares passionately about our schools, is extremely thoughtful, and advocates for what is best for all of our children.

Serving as a School Board member is often a thankless job and we are grateful that there are courageous individuals, like Mara, dedicated to doing this work without expecting anything in return. It is extremely important that we choose the right people for the job. In our opinion, the following qualities are essential: a passion for education; deep knowledge of the Princeton community and its needs and the needs of its students; valuable experience to contribute to the business of the Board; and the ability to prioritize the various issues facing the district. more

To the Editor:

As a community, we want to prepare our kids for the future by helping them develop the most critical and valuable 21st century skills. Therefore, when we vote for BOE candidates, we want to vote for candidates who have in mind this best interest of our kids.

BOE candidates Santarpio and Snyder are both strong advocates for fostering the development of skills for the future, skills such as critical thinking, communication, and intercultural competency. These skills will help our kids become creative problem solvers, effective communicators, and empathetic learners. These skills will help our kids navigate an ever-changing world with confidence and integrity. More importantly, Santarpio, an entrepreneur, and Snyder, a leader in education, both have a tremendous amount of knowledge, skills, and experiences, assets that they can bring to the BOE for advancing this strategic vision for our entire school district. more

To the Editor:

I am a parent of three PPS children (one each at Littlebrook, PMS, and PHS), and I’m writing to support the candidacies of Mara Franceschi and Ari Meisel for the Board of Education.

I got to know Mara during her highly effective first term on the Board. As co-chair of the Board’s Personnel Committee, Mara mastered the details of public education employment law and worked hard to enable PPS to retain and attract excellent teachers in a tight job market, all while keeping a careful eye on budget realities. Under Mara’s leadership, the district’s investments in its extraordinary staff have paid off for PPS students: 2024 test scores reveal that the district’s post-COVID academic performance is at or exceeds where we were in 2018. Through her work on the Operations and Long-Term Planning committees, Mara learned how to meet the needs of a complex, high-performing school district with a $100 million+ budget while adhering to the statutory 2 percent year-to-year cap in an inflationary environment. And as a recent addition to the Negotiations Committee, Mara helps to strike contract deals with PPS teachers and administrators that are both fair and fiscally responsible.  more

To the Editor:

On behalf of the boards of trustees, staff, and residents of Princeton Community Housing (PCH), we wish to express our gratitude to those who helped to make our September 27 fundraising event, “Community Roots, Opportunity Blossoms,” at Morven Museum & Garden a wonderful success. We had grand time, thanks to the efforts of our volunteers and staff, and our generous donors throughout the community. Together, we raised more than $119,000 to support PCH’s mission and what we call the “PCH Difference,” our commitment to providing not only homes but supportive services that result in stronger, healthier outcomes for our residents and communities.

Just as a well-tended garden nurtures seeds and helps them take root, a richly diverse and inclusive community creates opportunities for growth and success in life, benefiting everyone. Affordable homes ensure that our town is a place where people from all backgrounds can put down roots, contribute to its vibrancy, enhance its “ecosystem,” and grow and blossom by accessing and adding to our abundant resources. more

To the Editor:

Transparency and effective communication are the cornerstones of a successful school board and a strong school district. Princeton’s Board of Education will thrive under the leadership of BOE candidates Chris Santarpio and Erica Snyder, superlative communicators and hands-on participants in the work of cultivating Princeton’s robust public education system.

Whether catching up with parents on the playground, leading school fundraising events, or chatting over tater tots and beers at the Ivy Inn, there is no more gifted communicator than Chris Santarpio, owner of a second-generation family business and co-president of Community Park School’s PTO. He is as friendly as he is even-keeled, equally up for a serious conversation about matters of town importance as he is to shoot the breeze with his neighbors, making real connections with our entire district. He seeks — and achieves — broad buy-in from our diverse Community Park community, as he is a natural unifier and collaborative leader. He is genuinely interested in what everyone thinks, takes feedback warmly, working humbly to ensure that the next school picnic or STEAM day is even better than the last one. Want a leader who knows what it takes to run a successful ice cream social and is just as adept analyzing a budget? Chris is that candidate, and the BOE needs his vision, his practical know-how, and his rare ability to build consensus. more

To the Editor:

Six candidates are vying for three open positions in the upcoming Princeton School Board election. I am writing to endorse BOE Candidate Shenwei Zhao for the position. Like many of us who are personally invested in the school district as taxpayers and parents of children attending publicly funded schools, Mr. Zhao has demonstrated a strong commitment to promoting common sense, transparency, and care within the district. I wholeheartedly support his candidacy as a resident with children attending Princeton Public Schools (PPS).

Having engaged in numerous discussions with Mr. Zhao before and after his candidacy announcement, I have gained insight into his genuine and consistent concerns for the welfare of our schools and community. He is deeply passionate about improving the quality of all Princeton schools and ensuring that the district provides the best educational opportunities to all families. more

To the Editor:

As a local business owner and parent in Princeton, I’m writing to express my strong support for Ari Meisel’s candidacy for the Princeton Board of Education. Over the past three years, I’ve had the privilege of getting to know Ari through our daughters’ school, Littlebrook. Our friendship grew from mutual respect and shared values, and I’ve seen firsthand the positive impact of Ari’s leadership.

Ari is not only a dedicated father, but also an expert in productivity and efficiency. His guidance has been instrumental in improving operations at my business, L Brooke Homes, where he helped implement strategies that significantly boosted both efficiency and profitability. Simply put, Ari’s ability to solve complex problems is exactly what our school district needs. more

To the Editor:

On Friday, September 20, Princeton-Blairstown Center (PBC) held its ninth annual Links to Youth Golf Outing at the Fox Hollow Golf Club in Branchburg. The event raised $81,000, which will support PBC’s award-winning Summer Bridge Program. Each year, Summer Bridge offers hundreds of students from Trenton and Newark a high-quality outdoor enrichment experience focused on social-emotional learning, literacy skills, and STEM, completely free of charge.

At the dinner celebration following the outing, student speaker Ashley Diaz Seguay shared her experiences at PBC with the audience.  As a member of the Leader-in-Training Program, Ashley spent six weeks over the summer learning and growing at PBC’s Blairstown Campus, where she developed college- and career-readiness skills.  Ashley is a high school senior from Newark, and her experience at PBC helped her develop independence, leadership, responsibility, cooperation, and grit.   more

To The Editor:

We have lived at our current address, located on a prominent corner in town, for over 51 years.

Last week, we purchased a lawn sign in support of the presidential candidacy of Kamala Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz, and placed it on our property. Yesterday, we discovered that the sign had been stolen, although a sign in support of Andy Kim for U.S. senator remained untouched.

We understand that similar signs around Princeton have been stolen from private property.

We can only say that we are saddened and angered by this juvenile behavior. Shame on you, whoever is responsible. You are guilty of trespass, petty theft, and worst of all, bad manners and dishonoring our American value of free speech.

Alice and Joe Small
Hawthorne Avenue

To the Editor:

I am writing today to express my unwavering support for my friend Erica Snyder, who passionately advocates for an improved educational experience for all children in our district. Her vision encompasses a robust curriculum and a commitment to inclusivity and safety in our schools.

I have one child who recently graduated from PHS, another a senior this year, and a third attending JP. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Erica since our youngest children were together at Cherry Hill Nursery School, where she now serves as the director. more

To the Editor:

It was distressing to learn that the NJ Division of Civil Rights (NJ DCR) has recently issued violation notices to housing providers across the state, including a Princeton apartment complex. However, it is reassuring to know that the NJ DCR is enforcing the Fair Chance in Housing Act (FCHA), which prevents landlords from using criminal background checks to unfairly exclude applicants.

According to the NJ DCR, the application form for the Princeton apartment complex stated that an applicant “will be denied” if they have “any felony criminal convictions” or “misdemeanor criminal convictions.” This would clearly discourage anyone with a criminal record — no matter how minor or how long ago — from applying. While the violation in Princeton has been corrected, it serves as a wake-up call for our community, which has witnessed the harm unfair tenant screening practices have caused to our most underserved neighbors for decades. more

To the Editor:

Thank you, Town Topics, for generously providing space for our letters of concern about our community. Several weeks ago, you published letters by Steve Hiltner of Friends of Herrontown Woods and Wendy Mager of Friends of Princeton Open Space about the blight that was beginning in our beech forests. Over a thousand trees will be affected in Herrontown Woods around the home of Oswald Veblen, the father of the Princeton open space movement. My favorite poet, Robert Frost, who thought of the beech tree as “a witness tree” would be sad. How often we see initials carved on the bark of beeches as I memorialized in my poem “God and Buggs.”

When I noticed those two letters, I recalled that among the paintings that I had collected was a rather large one of a beech forest by an accomplished artist who had studied under Daniel Garber. The painting gets at what the essence of a beech forest is about, what it feels like and means to many of us. I decided to donate it to the restoration of Veblen House. I felt that just seeing it would draw attention to the cause.  more

To the Editor:

The Friends and Foundation of the Princeton Public Library wish to extend our thanks for the exceptional public support for our 2024 Annual Book Sale. We rely on our local community here in Princeton for our dedicated volunteers and extraordinary book donations, and we thank our Library colleagues who go the extra mile to make everything run smoothly. The event was a resounding success, with many happy customers from as far afield as Massachusetts and Virginia.

The funds we raised together will be used to purchase new materials for the library’s collection. We also raise money for the library throughout the year through our wonderful used Book Store. This would not be possible without the generous book donations we receive from our local community. To find out more about donating books and supporting the library, please go to  https://princetonlibrary.org/support/book-donations-sales/.

Jeanine Rosen, Jane Nieman, and Claire Bertrand
2024 Annual Book Sale Co-Chairs and Volunteer Coordinator
Friends and Foundation of the Princeton Public Library Annual Book Sale
Witherspoon Street

To the Editor:

I ask Princeton voters to look carefully at the choices on the ballot for the Board of Education. Look for proven commitment to our kids and our schools. Look for the workers and volunteers who work and not just talk; those with skills who labor with love, care, and commitment on behalf of something greater than themselves; those without personal agendas. My own service on the Board revealed that the job requires 15-20 hours of commitment each week to ensure the schools are well run.

I’m casting my votes for Mara Franceschi, Erica Snyder, and Chris Santarpio because they have the proven ability to devote substantial personal resources for the greater good of our schools, along with the skill, integrity, and mindset to serve ethically.  more