Andrea Spalla and Molly Chrein were re-elected to the Princeton Board of Education on Tuesday, and newcomer Tom Hagedorn was elected to the board.
Each will serve a three-year term.
Spalla garnered 2,308 votes and Chrein received 2,265. Hagedorn received 1,999 votes. Challenger Meeta Khatri did not receive enough votes for election, garnering 958 votes. Dennis Scheil, a candidate who dropped out of the race although his name still appeared on the ballot, earned 1,048 votes.
Chrein, 47, is a parent and an attorney. Asked what she believes are the most pressing issues facing the Board of Education and how she would approach and resolve these issues, she replied:
Our district, along with every district in the State, will be facing the challenges of a very tight fiscal year exacerbated by the fact that this year we will not get any relief from additional staff contributions to the cost of health care coverage; and the implementation of the new teacher evaluation system requiring a threefold increase in evaluations while implementing the new PARCC testing. Our unique challenge will be the transition to a new superintendent. The best way to deal with all three of these challenges is to keep our priorities straight and not become reactive but to be flexible while keeping our larger goals of excellence and achievement for each child always at the forefront of our decision making.
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There are several pressing issues facing the Princeton Board of Education. The long-term financial challenges that the district will face in maintaining excellence with the 2% cap; the achievement gap between students with different socio-economic backgroups; the resolution of the future of the Valley Road School building; and the successful implementation of the new state-mandated teacher evaluation system.
There are no simple answers to any of these issues. If elected, I would work with my colleagues to ensure that the Board of Education addresses each of them. All decisions need to be based on good data and a clear understanding of the problem. The successful resolution of the first three of these issues will require continual open dialogue with students, parents, teachers, and the community about the problem and possible solutions. The last problem will require great care to ensure that the district's most valuable resource, our teachers, are treated fairly and with respect.
Spalla, 47, is a parent and former attorney. Asked what she believes are the most pressing issues facing the Board of Education and how she would approach and resolve these issues, Spalla replied:
In the interest of brevity, I will address only two of the many pressing challenges our Board of Education faces. The most immediate challenge facing the Princeton Board of Education in the next 12 months will be guiding our district’s transition to new administrative leadership, and providing strong direction to our new superintendent when he takes the reins on January 1. My experience and demonstrated leadership on the board will substantially enhance its ability to provide our new superintendent with the clear vision and continuity crucial to making this transition smooth and successful.
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