Survey Results: Here’s What Princeton Wants In Next School Superintendent

PRINCETON, NJ – At last week’s special Board of Education meeting, consulting firm School Leadership LLC presented their latest findings from the community forums and surveys to define the specifications for a new superintendent.

Princeton Public Schools is currently in the midst of a superintendent search after Carol Kelley resigned from her post last year in October.

In September, the BOE appointed School Leadership LLC to help the district in its new superintendent search.

Martin Brooks and Rina Beder from the firm made their first presentation to the community on the results of the surveys and forums.

“We held 18 in-person forums and six virtual,” Beder said. “The Board of Education was really vital in identifying all of the key groups and individuals who they thought that we should speak with.”A total of 235 people participated in the forums.

The school district received 512 responses to the surveys.

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.

The Board of Education will use these insights to guide the search, which will be conducted as a rolling search, with candidates evaluated against six specifications and the board reviewing applications continuously.

Beder said the notice about the vacancy will be sent to about 1,500 superintendents and others “who hold key leadership positions in varied educational institutions.”

“I do want to emphasize that this is also a national search. We’ll advertise in education week which has a national reach and we’re in close contact with other organizations,” Beder said.

The new superintendent will succeed Interim Superintendent Kathie Foster who will continue to lead the district through June 30, 2025.

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