[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6631261,"mediaKeyId","2680033-a66d3fbaff80a6de913289ee0360db5a","parentId",2680033,"title","Board adopts tentative budget, hears capital project updates; $89 million bond issuance planned","audioSeconds",252,"startMs",3376000,"endMs",3628000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2680033-a66d3fbaff80a6de913289ee0360db5a&start=3376&end=3628","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2680033-a66d3fbaff80a6de913289ee0360db5a/thumbnail_3376000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6631261/New-Jersey/Board-adopts-tentative-budget-hears-capital-project-updates-89-million-bond-issuance-planned","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6631261-525053108454f5a7754bb16568288764/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186290&Signature=BxwAXiSD2lHp6ELtD4CtQisfXBLl4wxHn9qN20pbby4QBgKTevCBDHxf3ZTUzWMkVivuO6mMj5Q55uTV5FVO~WSL8Tvm04-9c-5U8QChc6d1oY6d6NG8b7DqNSiiATKcJKJ1jRUG0fbT9jJjRTxUNtt32nnUSXvK-Gb~zZmfGlY~Q9tLiBXajLKDbHUlBw3BKbnlJewh92tA~NKhnyHLDrAd3vfJuKoWY5VvMd9QXVPdNXBkB8iq4OIgHTEISMlZmx93OlszCb8rTD4XQVv9ljMf71G~kdUfEXklmWu-b8CFAYurwa~BX4DtUOUdxUxGfQOw9gq-7KhyWInbQTD7KA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Princeton Public School District","date","2025-03-19T02:13:12.897Z","article","The Princeton Board of Education approved a tentative fiscal plan and several capital project steps at its public meeting, and district staff outlined expected tax impacts, a near‑term bond issuance and next steps for referendum projects.

Budget and levy: Matt Bolden, the district’s finance/operations presenter at the meeting, said the tentative budget was due to the state the next day and that the district would finalize the budget at a later hearing. He described the proposed calendar‑year school tax levy increase as an estimated 4.7% on the school side and said the district’s proposed operating tax levy increase for the fiscal year is 2.91%. Bolden told the board the taxpayer impact for the average property would be about $433 (a district estimate displayed in slides).

State aid and revenue context: Bolden said state aid was cut under the current formula (a roughly 3% decrease for the district) and that local revenues (tax levy, university contributions and local tuition) make up the large majority of district revenue; the district reported that roughly 93% of its revenues are local. He also said the district expects to issue $89,000,000 in bonds in the near term to finance referendum projects.

Cost drivers and pressures: The presentation identified rising special‑services and transportation costs and increased health‑care costs (noting specialty Rx trends) as primary budget pressures; the district indicated it was using a zero‑based budgeting approach and that it had increased fund balances and capital reserves in recent years. Bolden said federal IDEA funding and Title grants total “a little over a million dollars” and cannot be used to replace regular operating support.

Capital projects and referendums: The board approved a number of consent‑agenda items tied to referendum implementation and facility work, including contracts for planning rooftop replacements, approval to proceed with PHS bleacher replacement this summer, and steps to procure electric buses and charging equipment. The board tabled one contract award — a site‑improvement bid for the PHS basin and tennis courts — for later consideration. Committee updates noted upcoming construction schedules and that the bleachers are slated to be completed this summer; the district said it would issue the referendum debt in the coming week.

Board discussion: Several board members asked questions about long‑term fiscal sustainability and the potential need to reallocate resources; one board member asked whether staff reductions were being considered (administration answered it was not planning staff cuts and would repurpose positions if retirements created opportunities). Members also discussed the lifecycle and relocation costs of charging stations if district facilities locations change in the future.

Votes and outcomes: The consent agenda (which included the tentative budget submission and many of the project contract approvals) passed by roll call. Specific project votes noted in the public meeting included: tabling the PHS basin and tennis court site improvement bid; approval of the PHS bleachers purchase and several professional service contracts related to referendum projects; and a motion to accept grant applications and purchase orders for electric‑bus chargers and related equipment (committee discussion indicated grant funding is expected but not finalized).

Why it matters: The budget and capital decisions will affect district operations, tax bills and the schedule of facility work. The board’s decisions on contract awards and the bond issuance set the timeline for the referendum projects the public approved earlier.

Provenance: The budget and capital details were presented in the meeting’s finance/operations section; votes were taken on the consent agenda and on several specific procurement items.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Princeton Board of Education - March 18, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Board members approved a tentative budget and advanced several referendum and capital project steps, including plans to issue $89 million in bonds and to replace high‑school bleachers this summer.","taxTitle","Princeton Public School District, School Districts, New Jersey","taxId",38734,"location","New Jersey","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6631271,"Princeton Board appoints Margarita Baldeo as assistant superintendent for special services",1455,1618000,3073000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2680033-a66d3fbaff80a6de913289ee0360db5a&start=1618&end=3073","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2680033-a66d3fbaff80a6de913289ee0360db5a/thumbnail_1618000.jpg","/articles/6631271/New-Jersey/Princeton-Board-appoints-Margarita-Baldeo-as-assistant-superintendent-for-special-services","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6631271-f2acf9fc951c33268b7efe7e1cd67cf8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186290&Signature=M74b~erOINcUY4pExhTqLYUeNt14S~cAyN54yjTbZoSn76AmgpxCD9pfhUl79lWVi2W8n4UTQpkG~9CaDxQhL2yS01GYmpR~SejJV93yw5xgyI4p1~crxjgnIweUFd2mblxe3YStUK1D6an9UetR7y4cd5lKI856-5dJv5qXgpBZ5wKjhHqZr2VeDtTiUmxlV86CU3xhXhp9C~Zo9PjyBLPWU9Lxr~0yFpM3dh4GbnrHFidLf9lAZ0GfXnZLLQKiI9c~N3p1HLKcFR5sO1GDulRjMnZkgb-z-ZwAnS7Y3Q9YDTRYc5CuA6oN6~I4idtUXQVIfvU4rj8hI3qqGNldJQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Princeton Board of Education voted to appoint Margarita Baldeo as Assistant Superintendent of Special Services during its public meeting.

The board said it elevated a prior director role to an assistant‑superintendent position and interviewed four candidates before selecting Baldeo, who currently serves as director of special services at Upper Freehold Regional School District. The board said she previously worked as a supervisor of student services in Hamilton Township and as a child study team member, holds bachelor's and master's degrees in clinical social work from Rutgers, is a licensed clinical social worker, and is pursuing a doctorate in clinical social work at Rutgers. The district announced Baldeo’s anticipated start date as May 27.

Why it matters: The position centralizes district leadership for special education services and — according to board remarks at the meeting — is intended to strengthen bilingual outreach and systemwide supports for students with individualized education programs (IEPs). Board members emphasized the district’s responsibility to students who need additional supports.

Board members discussed the search briefly before a roll‑call vote. The meeting record shows the motion carried and the board welcomed Baldeo; attendees and several board members offered public thanks. In her remarks to the board, Baldeo said she was “honored to step into such an important role” and expressed a commitment to equitable and inclusive opportunities for students.

What the board said about the hire: Board members praised Baldeo’s bilingual skills and experience working with families and student support systems. One board speaker noted the special‑education “committee . . . believed that Margarita is the one to take us there,” and the board described the hire as intended to improve communication with bilingual families.

Details and next steps: The personnel action approving Baldeo’s appointment appears on the meeting consent agenda and carried by roll call. The board and administration described the personnel committee process and said the appointment follows its recommendation. The new title consolidates district special services leadership under an assistant‑superintendent role; the district did not provide additional implementation details (for example, organizational chart updates) during the public portion of the meeting.

Provenance: The appointment and biographical details were introduced in the board’s discussion of personnel and the candidate’s remarks during the public meeting.

","The Princeton Board of Education voted to appoint Margarita Baldeo as Assistant Superintendent of Special Services during its public meeting.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6631256,"Parents and community members press board on DLI enrollment, CP overcrowding and loss of Black staff leadership",699,4455000,5154000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2680033-a66d3fbaff80a6de913289ee0360db5a&start=4455&end=5154","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2680033-a66d3fbaff80a6de913289ee0360db5a/thumbnail_4455000.jpg","/articles/6631256/New-Jersey/Parents-and-community-members-press-board-on-DLI-enrollment-CP-overcrowding-and-loss-of-Black-staff-leadership","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6631256-7246a6aa5db4651621dd65ac756440c6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186290&Signature=TjCmCF9P4bCEKQY6UYrDz2QMuyYlbl3ZTYKcnT4ZPa1btyfW85ocqA-iNydxfNNvSnJhP61-VeSHzV1e1BMn1N5s4ssC1wHj8CKi1Rt5keLmFsCgKyC62nx7~6HBiMT2csDw01cRdCkuBxBTf-0yKMp0cirAtKhrJaYqp08lrSpm6QBzkOaosJ1GwIB3Xz9BrGx~JY0AO7g7hSXNLdv~2lJUAq~PFgRhQHclMt7gZ3e9jiP2pE3vlHCufV0aYbmguACqJtik5UYn1uQxxCk2S~tQSLnPhbTtqPq19x0sADoPZud4sZRIfErlsZFy5t-qj7xQZGOZqQ6HVFTFVhYg2A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","During the public comment portion of the meeting, parents and community groups raised several concerns tied to the Spanish dual‑language immersion (DLI) program at Community Park (CP), class sizes there, curriculum continuity in the DLI pathway, and departures of Black staff and administrators.

Bilingual‑program concerns and CP overcrowding: Parents and DLI advocates said the district has an artificial cap on kindergarten DLI enrollment at CP (described in public comments as 44 seats), which they asked the board to raise to 60 and to open a third kindergarten section so families are not excluded. Speakers said last year nine families were placed on a wait list. Several parents asked the district to create parity across elementary schools, noting that CP classes were reported in public testimony as 22 students per kindergarten class versus district averages of about 13–16 in other schools.

Specific requests included immediate searches for a middle‑school bilingual social‑studies teacher whose leave was not replaced and development of clear, vertically aligned curriculum maps from pre‑K through high school so families can see the DLI pathway and expectations (including how the district now handles biliteracy recognition after removal of the seal of biliteracy referenced in parent remarks). One parent said, “These students cannot afford to lose another year of language acquisition due to inadequate programming.” Another asked the board to commit to program leadership and curricula that parents can use to hold the district accountable.

Class‑size and program‑quality concerns: A parent and several speakers noted that CP’s art teacher position was converted from full‑time to a 0.6 FTE and argued this reduced the quality and continuity of instruction; one parent reported that classroom teachers rarely saw the art teacher because of the reduced schedule. Community commenters urged restoring full‑time arts coverage at CP to match other elementary schools.

Equity and staff departures: Princeton Parents for Black Children (PBBC) read portions of a letter describing concern about an “exodus” of Black staff and administrators over recent years, including recent resignations. PBBC said the district has lost several Black leaders — positions that previously included superintendent and other principal and supervisory roles — and questioned what the district is doing to replace and support Black staff and leaders. The group asked when leadership vacancies that serve Black students and programs (for example, student affinity groups and minority achievement initiatives) will be filled and how the district will ensure continuity for students who relied on that staff.

Other points raised in public comment: Speakers urged safe planning for upcoming construction projects and warned that active construction sites present safety risks if not properly managed. One parent who is a licensed civil engineer stressed that construction attracts children and urged the district and contractors to provide strict safety measures during expansions.

Board response and next steps: Board members acknowledged the comments, thanked speakers, and several said they would follow up with staff. The personnel and curriculum issues (middle‑school bilingual staffing, DLI maps and class‑size adjustments) and the equity questions about staff departures were raised publicly and identified as matters the board and administration will need to address in near‑term personnel and program planning.

Provenance: Public‑comment remarks from parents, DLI advocates and community organizations were recorded during the meeting’s public‑comment period.","Parents and community groups urged the Board of Education to expand DLI enrollment and staffing at Community Park, to restore instructional staffing, and to address recent departures of Black staff and administrators.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6631266,"District highlights counseling, SEL programs and survey results; leaders note mental‑health and workload concerns at high school",1052,1071000,2123000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2680033-a66d3fbaff80a6de913289ee0360db5a&start=1071&end=2123","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2680033-a66d3fbaff80a6de913289ee0360db5a/thumbnail_1071000.jpg","/articles/6631266/New-Jersey/District-highlights-counseling-SEL-programs-and-survey-results-leaders-note-mentalhealth-and-workload-concerns-at-high-school","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6631266-cca3df6cccda63e29524fa27eb546934/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186290&Signature=m2tnbn5Z6b774w4Ppe3NC-iOEaWwsjqrn3UwcH12JJKWZH7vMO2kLwTspG7BIpI7hx3nXYhbebLKQoNFLZLClKjBEmJaMLU2HmKiqVARAzWvTiRxfbbjZ2vNeZ9J-UKn5Rxe1G3HIQGeo-VypwhnhUNkdR-ebHeDQ6fHxTyOJlxZhBdEDaJ3OU3D8D0h1OJwd~g-9hdsUpZ3IeyKD5l~5x2vvuG~p6qVuE5GXA3t82SQbszXD4fuFwLSZ0Dxk7lOENZ4yiO4t3P7UpmgF0YLdCueiMkriSR2dIIvdAkxTtXV8UUZaQSGEwsnYmWgZlPs4CeIXihNzdszHBYbEDp1kQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District staff and the board highlighted social‑emotional learning (SEL) programs and counseling services across the Princeton Public School District, reporting survey results the administration said show modest gains while noting persistent concerns about high‑school workload and middle‑school stress.

John McMichael, the district counselor who led the presentation, described K–12 counseling programs and preventive initiatives. He told the board that elementary counselors are using CASEL‑aligned curricula such as the Random Acts of Kindness program and that Little Brook piloted Character Strong; the administration plans to expand Character Strong to all four elementary schools next year.

McMichael summarized counseling activities at each level: morning meetings and Kindness Ambassadors at Community Park, a Coffee with the Counselor program at Johnson Park, mentorship and math emphasis at Riverside, wingman and streak‑of‑kindness initiatives at Princeton Middle School, and a range of school‑wide cultural and wellness programs at Princeton High School, including junior college workshops and small‑group supports.

Dr. Kathy Foster, who framed the report under the district’s strategic priorities, presented student wellness‑survey findings the district administers periodically. She said four core statements — including “my school is a welcoming and safe place” and “there is at least one adult I can go to when something is bothering me” — showed increases in some grades between administrations, and the district has added open‑ended questions to better understand student responses.

Foster and McMichael emphasized programmatic next steps: expand elementary Character Strong, continue counselor training (including Anti‑Bullying Specialist training cited in the presentation), embed SEL into classroom instruction, and use school‑level data to inform targeted supports. McMichael also identified school‑specific priorities such as mentoring, explicit SEL instruction, and anti‑vaping awareness campaigns at the high school.

Concerns raised at the meeting included student workload and mental‑health stress at the high school. Multiple speakers from the high school student body noted that the breadth of course offerings and AP options create pressure; the administration said the district views challenge as valuable but wants to support students who take rigorous schedules. Board members and staff discussed counselor staffing levels; McMichael said the district had sought additional counseling capacity and noted a recently hired staff member who launched a girls’ empowerment program called ROCS.

Why it matters: The presentation ties to the board’s strategic plan and the district’s allocation of counselor and support resources. The initiatives described are largely tier‑1 (universal) SEL work with targeted tier‑2 groups in several schools; however, stakeholders at the meeting suggested continued investment in counselor staffing and youth mental‑health supports.

Provenance: The material appears in the meeting during a scheduled presentation on social‑emotional learning and a subsequent strategic‑plan update.","District staff and the superintendent presented progress on strategic goal 2 (wellness, inclusion and supports), detailing K–12 counseling programs, the student wellness survey, school‑by‑school SEL programming and next steps including broader adoption of Character Strong and additional tiered supports.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board adopts tentative budget, hears capital project updates; $89 million bond issuance planned

Princeton Board appoints Margarita Baldeo as assistant superintendent for special services

Parents and community members press board on DLI enrollment, CP overcrowding and loss of Black staff leadership

District highlights counseling, SEL programs and survey results; leaders note mental‑health and workload concerns at high school