September 5, 2012

Issues of Education Spark Discussions At Borough Council

A report on the Princeton Public Schools that sparked criticism from Republican mayoral nominee Richard Woodbridge concerning the fate of the Valley Road School building was among the topics at last week’s meeting of Princeton Borough Council. Also part of the discussion were resolutions regarding a right-of-way use agreement along the Dinky corridor, a transit study and traffic study, and a pending Assembly bill that would exempt New Jersey’s private colleges and universities from municipal land use oversight.

Princeton Public Schools Superintendent Judy Wilson told Council members that Princeton High School was opening on September 4 with a record high enrollment of 1,444 students, 375 of whom are freshmen. The numbers are also up, from 35 to about 55, for pre-kindergarten students.

“We thought 340 was our peak last year, and only seven years ago we had 300,” Ms. Wilson said of the high school enrollment. The school district is opening two additional sections of pre-kindergarten to accommodate the growth. While enrollment is down at Riverside Elementary School, it has risen at Johnson Park Elementary School, she added. Princeton University’s shuffling of its faculty housing is the reason for the enrollment figures at the elementary schools, she said. The jump at the high school and Pre-K is due to the fact that more people are moving to Princeton. “There are more Institute families,” Ms. Wilson said, referring to the Institute for Advanced Study. “Children are leaving private schools because of the economy. But there is no single reason.”

Ms. Wilson was asked whether the school board had made progress on deciding the fate of the Valley Road School building. She replied that the Board’s commitment was to not address the issue until after consolidation goes into effect in January. She then left to attend a Board of Education meeting, and Mr. Woodbridge approached the microphone to take issue with comments Ms. Wilson made in a Town Topics story (“New Name, New Look, New Website; Princeton Public Schools Ready to Go” ; August 22) saying that the building was “well maintained.”

“I’m rather baffled by the superintendent’s comments about the state of the school,” said Mr. Woodbridge, who went to the building on July 29 to take pictures. “It’s in terrible shape. I would like to request that the Board do at least minimal maintenance. The maintenance is terrible and I would give it an ‘F.’” Mr. Woodbridge added that if the $10.9 million public bond referendum to be voted on by citizens on September 24 passed “before January 1, there won’t be any money for it.” [the Valley Road building].

In a statement, School Board President Tim Quinn responded yesterday, “The current bond referendum is strictly for facilities being used for the education of our students. Plans for projects covered by the referendum have been approved by the state Department of Education, and these plans did not include the Witherspoon portion of the Valley Road School, which has not been an instructional space for several decades. While the board has not made a final decision on the future of the Witherspoon portion of the Valley Road Building, we have stated unequivocally that we are not willing to commit public funds to the maintenance of buildings not being used for the education of our students.”

In other discussions related to education, Borough Mayor Yina Moore reported that she and Hoboken Mayor Don Zimmer were drafting a letter opposing the bill that the state Legislature is considering that would allow universities and colleges to bypass municipal zoning codes. Public universities are already exempt. The Senate passed its version of the bill last June, and the Assembly’s version is still with the Higher Education Committee.

Borough Council has already passed a resolution opposing the bill, and has encouraged the public to sign a petition against the measure. Ms. Moore said she hoped the Township would join in signing the letter. Councilman Roger Martindell suggested joining with Township Committee and possibly the Regional Planning Board in opposition to the bill, as well as asking area colleges and universities to formally express their positions on the issue.

A resolution to approve a shared services agreement with Princeton Township for a transit study from URS Corporation was tabled by the Council following extensive discussion. Council will ask URS to attend a future meeting so that they and the public can be better informed about the transit study, which was part of the 2011 Memorandum of Understanding between the governing bodies and Princeton University regarding the University’s proposed Arts and Transit neighborhood. Princeton Township has already approved the resolution for the study.

The Alexander Street/University Place Transit Task Force interviewed five transit consultants and recommended URS, which would charge $100,000. The task force also recommended AECOM of Newark to perform a traffic study, at $72,980. The traffic study would examine the developments at the former Merwick site currently under redevelopment, the former site of the University Medical Center at Princeton, Princeton University’s Hibben Magie site, Hulfish North at Palmer Square, and the redevelopment of the YM/YWCA, along with several intersections.


August 22, 2012

New Name, New Look, New Website; Princeton Public Schools Ready to Go

“We are certainly ready to welcome our students back,” said Superintendent Judy Wilson in a recent Princeton Community TV appearance.

Which is not to say that the schools have been idle. Ms. Wilson reported that “hundreds of students were with us this summer,” to take English classes; participate in math and literacy programs; receive special needs instruction, and get help in preparing for college.

The TV spot gave Ms. Wilson an opportunity to provide the latest information about the schools; a new name, a new logo, and a new website were at the top of her list. The new name, Princeton Public Schools, occurs in anticipation of the January 1, 2013, consolidation of Princeton Borough and Princeton Township, at which point Princeton will no longer qualify as a regional school district and is legally obligated to change its name.

The new website, www.princetonk12.org, promises to provide “all that’s newsworthy, accurate, and all that’s important to you as a parent,” said Ms. Wilson. With “a new look” and “many more resources,” the site will include “good news” as well as up-to-the minute emergency information.

Princeton Public School athletes, who have already begun to return to school for pre-season training, will be observed more carefully under the schools’ new policies and procedures regarding concussions and their aftermath, said Ms. Wilson. Coaches and nurses will also be “paying attention to new research on sudden cardiac arrest,” and on ensuring that athletes remain hydrated during the hot weather.

“The choice to read is so very powerful in our children’s lives,” said Ms. Wilson in her comments about the required summer reading lists that were posted on the old website and have been transferred to the new one. She encouraged parents and students to visit the public library (“a few visits”) and to engage in “literacy experiences,” like “conversations about books and movies.”

Ms. Wilson described the buildings and grounds improvements to all six schools proposed under a recently announced public bond referendum as “projects that just can’t be tackled in day-to-day maintenance and repairs.” Princeton residents will vote on the $10.9 million bond on Monday, September 24, when polls will be open from noon to 9 p.m. The work includes “a range of projects from drainage systems to instructional classrooms to fields and courts, but none of it is new construction,” she noted. The improvements are intended to “stop water damage; fight energy costs; replace gym floors; add an ADA-compliant ramp to Princeton High School;” and beef up playground safety at the elementary schools. A new turf field, bleachers, and track used by middle and high school students need to be replaced, said Ms. Wilson, and the John Witherspoon Middle School gym will be “repurposed” to create a media center.

Turning to what she described as “minor projects,” Ms. Wilson noted that “the Valley Road building does not need any attention; it’s been well-maintained and renovated in recent years.” The adjacent playing fields, however, “need attention.”

Ms. Wilson pointed to “high needs, low costs, and low interest rates” as reasons for the upcoming referendum. If it is passed, it will cost the average in Princeton resident $149.

More details on repairs and upgrades, Ms. Wilson noted, will be made available in the coming weeks.


June 20, 2012

Donations to Support Tech Improvements In Public Schools

A check from Princeton Education Foundation (PEF), representing $113,500 in donated funds to the Princeton Public Schools for improvements in technology, music, and vocal equipment in the elementary schools, was presented to the Board of Education at its most recent meeting.

PEF is a nonprofit that raises money each year to support local public school initiatives. This year’s gift is comprised of contributions from several different sources, including the PowerUp PRS! Technology campaign, which the Princeton Education Foundation is overseeing in concert with the school district; two gifts from district PTOs; and from PEF itself.

Other new technology will be made available next year through an approved New Jersey State contract, providing $453,385 for the purchase of iPad, MacBook, iMac computers and related supplies. The new equipment will enable instruction in specific language arts, math, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills in elementary grade pre-kindergarten through grade 1 classrooms; grade 6 through 8 math and science classrooms; and grade 9-12 English, math, science, and world languages classes. Individual teacher-issued technology will also be upgraded where needed.

In response to proposals received by district health benefits broker Connor Strong Buckelew, the Board approved the appointment of Express Scripts/Medco as the prescription benefits carrier, effective July 1, 2012, replacing BeneCard, whose contract will terminate effective June 30, 2012. The change was made in response to a perceived “need to control rising health care costs, and in an effort to save money for the district and the staff paying contributions towards coverage.”

Incoming staff include Princeton High School (PHS) Spanish teacher Maria Benedetto; John Witherspoon Middle School Science teacher Janet Gaudino; Caitlin O’Connor, a new fourth grade teacher at Littlebrook Elementary School; and PHS Social Studies teacher Patricia Manhart. All of their appointments are effective September 1.

Last week’s meeting also included recognition of retiring staff members for their many “years of service to Princeton children.”

The Board of Education will meet again Wednesday, June 20, at 5:30 p.m. at the Valley Road Administrative Building. They will discuss personnel issues and contract ratification, and participate in a workshop about their work in the coming school year. The meeting is open to the public.

The Princeton Public Schools’ website is www.prs.k12.nj.us.

For more information about the Princeton Education Foundation, visit www.pefnj.org.