Princeton’s New School Superintendent Hopes To Contribute In A Meaningful Way

PRINCETON, NJ — On Wednesday evening, the Princeton Board of Education voted unanimously to appoint Dr. Michael LaSusa as the next superintendent of the Princeton Public Schools.

LaSusa currently serves as Superintendent for the School District of the Chathams in Chatham, NJ — a role he has held for the past 13 years.

His appointment will be effective July 1, 2025.

The superintendent search process began on July 29, 2024, with a search firm and an ad hoc committee led by former BOE member Betsy Baglio.

LaSusa was chosen from 37 applicants, including 17 current superintendents, BOE president Dafna Kendal said.

“After this extensive search, one candidate rose to the top, and that is Dr Michael LaSusa. And we are thrilled to welcome Mike to our district. He has a proven record of success in many administrative roles in the Chathams since he was hired as a teacher there more than 20 years ago,” Kendal said.

“We look forward to his leadership here in Princeton.”

On Wednesday, LaSusa spent the day in Princeton, visiting all six schools, and meeting with all four union leadership.

BOE vice president Susan Kanter said she tagged along with LaSusa as he met with “the important people” of the district and got a chance to witness his humor, compassion, and intelligence.

“It was really inspiring, and I know we really look forward to Dr LaSusa leading our district and getting to know our community on an even deeper level,” Kanter said.

During his address to the community, LaSusa reminded residents that he was leaving a school community he served for 23-and-a-half years, to work at Princeton.

He recalled joining Chatham High School the week of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

“As the day went on and my classes became smaller and smaller because parents were picking their children up and students were streaming out of the building, I grabbed a cassette player that had an antenna and a radio dial, and I just sat with my students and listened to the WCBS 880 broadcast of what was happening. And it was probably the first time in my career, looking back now, that I realized how vital schools are in the lives of children and their families,” LaSusa said.

“It's an odd thing to share with you tonight, but I want to give you a sense that it took a lot for me to leave that. And what it took was a prospective opportunity that I thought was so special and singular that I couldn't not pursue it.”

Apart from Princeton being a historic and important town, one of the reasons that drew LaSusa to the district was the diversity of the student body, including language diversity.

“The fact that I think there are some commonalities between the two districts that lead me to believe that hopefully I can contribute here in a meaningful way. And finally, the values that I see exhibited and reflected in both the school system and the community at large, was why I decided to throw my hat in the ring,” LaSusa said.

But it was ultimately the BOE members who managed to convince LaSusa to take the job.

The Superintendent said that during the interview he fumbled through the answers, as he was trying to gauge whether the BOE was a collaborative, warm group.

“By the end of the process, I became convinced that this is a board that puts children first and the care of children first before a lot of other items and issues that we sometimes can be distracted by. So, I want to thank the members of the Board of Education for entrusting me with this responsibility,” LaSusa said.

The Superintendent attended the meeting along with his twin sons and wife.

During the public comment section, staff members from the school district welcomed LaSusa and said they couldn’t wait to start working with him.

Interim superintendent Kathie Foster will continue in her current role until June 30.

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