Jan. 8 decision: Princeton Board of Education to name new superintendent

The Princeton Board of Education will hold a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 8, in the Valley Road Administration Building Conference Room to appoint a new superintendent of schools.

A search for a new permanent leader of the school district began in the fall.

The school board hired School Leadership LLC to conduct a national search. The firm has led successful searches for high-performing districts in the New York metropolitan area over the past 20 years.

An ad hoc superintendent search committee coordinated the hiring of the search firm and the procedural aspects of the search. School board member Betsy Baglio chaired the committee. School board members Dafna Kendal, Eleanor Hubbard, Mara Franceschi, and Rob Christopher also served on the committee.

The school board hosted five forums for parents and community members to discuss traits they wanted in the next superintendent. The school district also conducted an online survey.

According to the data collected, the community values leadership in improving already high-performing schools, classroom experience, and building leadership.

Key skills desired in the new superintendent include curriculum and instructional knowledge, leadership, and team-building.

Through the surveys and forums, the community emphasized the importance of community engagement and the superintendent becoming part of the Princeton community when serving the school district.

Superintendent history

Kathie Foster has been serving as the interim superintendent of the school district since November 2023. She has been paid a per diem rate of $1,100.

Foster replaced Rebecca Gold, who was serving as interim superintendent on a short-term basis after Carol Kelley abruptly left the top post in October 2023. Kelley had served in the district for two and a half years.

Kelley’s tenure was marked by controversies, including concerns about potential changes in the math curriculum and the departure of Princeton High Principal Frank Chmiel. Many parents and students were unhappy with the way Chmiel’s departure was announced. Chmiel, who did not have tenure, fought the nonrenewal of his contract and filed an appeal regarding his dismissal with the state Office of Administrative Law. Chmiel also threatened to sue the school district but did not file a lawsuit, according to court records.

In fall 2023, Kelley faced more criticism after a new company took over the district’s after-school program and had major staffing issues. Parents became upset when Kelley told them she couldn’t join a September Zoom meeting via video to discuss the issue and could only participate by phone because she was driving to a ferry for a retreat on Cape Cod.

About a month later, Kelley announced her resignation and took a paid leave of absence for 10 months until the resignation officially became effective Aug. 31, 2024. Her annual salary was $244,800. She was paid a salary for a portion of the leave time and also used a combination of sick days, vacation days, and personal days she had accumulated.