Princeton Public Schools

This document reflects on the target areas and goals for the District Sustainability Policy. It outlines nine key areas: promoting energy management, implementing health and wellness initiatives, pursuing flood reduction strategies, improving resource conservation through waste minimization and recycling, encouraging environmentally sustainable business practices, deploying iSTEAM teaching methodologies for sustainability, prioritizing the recruitment of qualified individuals with sustainability expertise, providing staff training and development, and ensuring annual reporting on the effectiveness of sustainability initiatives.

The meeting commenced with the administration of the Oath of Office to three newly elected board members following the official results of the annual school election held in November 2025. The board then elected a president and vice president for the upcoming year, with Daphna Kendall nominated and confirmed as President, and Susan Caner as Vice President. A significant discussion involved reporting on a wire fraud incident from September 2024, totaling $178,000 related to referendum projects, although the board expressed confidence that the district funds were not lost. Furthermore, the board approved operational changes, including transitioning from BoardDocs to Google Docs to achieve estimated savings of $10,000, and discontinuing the display of the agenda behind the board during meetings to reduce distraction. The structure and scheduling of standing committees (Equity, Long-Term Planning, Operations, Personnel, Policy, and Student Achievement) were reviewed, with plans to adjust certain meeting times, specifically moving Equity, Policy, and Student Achievement meetings to afternoon slots to improve accessibility for board members and the public.

This organizational meeting commenced in closed session before moving to public session. Key activities included the announcement of official results for the Annual School Election and the administration of the Oath of Office to new school board members. The primary focus was the Election of Officers, resulting in the selection of Dafna Kendal as Board President and Susan Kanter as Vice President for the 2026 Calendar Year. The board also established the structure for standing committees and approved several administrative items via consent agenda, such as adopting the Roberts Rules of Order, the Code of Ethics, the annual meeting schedule, and designating official newspapers for legal advertisements. Under Business, Finance, Plant & Transportation Operations, the board accepted a resolution awarding a contract to Diamond Construction for Site Upgrades and Improvements (Project No. 5559A).

The meeting commenced with the welcoming remarks and an overview of the Board's role in setting policy for educational, financial, and personnel matters. The session included discussions regarding the adherence to New Jersey laws and regulations. Key agenda items involved the presentation and review of the annual ethics training mandated for board members, which covered prohibited acts and the code of ethics, emphasizing confidentiality regarding personnel and student matters. The board attorney also addressed board governance, the relationship between the board and administration (where the board sets policy and the superintendent manages operations), and the importance of supporting district personnel.

The meeting commenced with procedural notes regarding public participation and recording of proceedings, as well as adherence to New Jersey laws. Key discussion points included the recognition of the Princeton High School girls cheerleading team for their unprecedented success in qualifying for the national championship, with a formal resolution drafted in their commendation, although the team could not attend due to weather. A detailed discussion followed regarding the ongoing snow emergency, emphasizing the extensive efforts of the facilities and maintenance staff to clear snow, particularly from the bus fleet, to ensure school reopening. The board addressed the recapture of instructional days lost to the snow closures, noting that two built-in snow days would require reassignment around Memorial Day weekend, and outlined the difficult options (Saturday school, Spring break adjustment, or extending the school year) if further closures occur, emphasizing that remote instruction is generally not an option under New Jersey law. Furthermore, a presentation was made by the Riverside School Principal and PTO representatives regarding a proposed "cornerstone project" to renovate the central courtyard into a user-friendly, learning-oriented space, potentially including raised beds for native plants, nature cams, and sensory elements, funded substantially by PTO reserves of over $65,000. Maintenance and tree removal costs for this project were also discussed as key considerations.