BOE Unanimously Confirms Cecilia Birge As Princeton HS Principal

PRINCETON, NJ – The Board of Education on Thursday night unanimously voted to appoint Cecilia Birge as the next Principal of Princeton High School.

Birge’s name was recommended to the BOE by Superintendent Carol Kelley.

BOE president Dafna Kendal said she was thrilled to welcome Birge as the new principal.

“We know this past spring was an especially hard time for our district, especially PHS,” Kendal said. “With Cecilia’s appointment tonight we are turning a page and looking with excitement to the future.”

Birge will replace Frank Chmiel who was dismissed earlier this year.

A total of 25 candidates applied for the job, with two internal candidates and 20 external, said Rebecca Gold, Asst. Superintendent of Human Resources.

“We had three rounds of interviews. The first round was a paper screen – we looked at all 25 people that applied, made sure that everybody had the right certs and we moved through those interviews trying to match people's skills with what we needed,” Gold explained.

Eight people were shortlisted, those who officials thought matched the district’s requirements. The eight people were invited to a virtual screening where they were asked four “very important questions.” The field was then narrowed down to five candidates.

Those five people went forward to the interview committee on Aug. 28.

The two internal people were not paper screened, were not invited for the virtual interview. “They directly went into the round with the committee,” Gold said.

Each candidate spent an hour with the interview committee. The questions consisted of two categories - a performance task where they had to share their vision for the 100 days at Princeton High School. The committee then had 10 questions which came from the community survey and National Standards for Leaders.

At the end of the question-answer session, the committee had a discussion, and a recommendation was made to Kelley, who in turn made the recommendation to the Board.

The committee was made up of 13 people - two principals, three supervisors, the assistant superintendent of CNI, the director of student services, two teachers, the senior bookkeeper in the high school and three parents. There were three observers – two board members and Kelley.

“During the selection process, Ms. Birge showcased her exceptional leadership qualities, along with her deep commitment to the success of all students, her passion for education, and her respect for the entire Princeton High School community. For these reasons, I know that Ms. Birge will be successful as the next principal of Princeton High School,” Kelley said.

The Superintendent said the Board was confident that Birge was the right person to lead Princeton High School.

“We are delighted to promote an internal candidate who understands the building culture, the students, and the high expectations of the community. Princeton High School is one of the best high schools in NJ and we know with her focus and belief that all students can be successful, it will only get better with Cecilia Birge at the helm,” Dafna Kendal, BOE president said.

During the meeting, three union members were present, who wholeheartedly supported Birge’s appointment.

Crystal Reddick of Princeton Administrators Association said the union was "excited” that Kelley chose a current PAA members for the post. “I was sitting in on that committee and it was a hard decision to make. We are truly in support and excited for the appointment of Ms. Birge, Reddick said.

Renee Szporn, Co-President of PREA, the teachers union, said she welcomed Birge as the new principal of PHS.

“It’s a pleasure to see Cecilia come up through the educational ranks at the high school,” Szporn said. “I know she has what it takes to get the job done.”

In her role, Birge will be responsible for overseeing teaching and learning, building relationships with students, staff and families and the Princeton community.

Birge earned a bachelor of arts degree in history from Bryn Mawr College and a master of arts in educational leadership and public school building leadership from Columbia University.

She is working toward the completion of a doctoral degree in educational leadership at Rutgers University.

“I'm very excited about diving into the 2023-2024 academic year with renewed energy and focus. In the forthcoming weeks, I intend to actively engage with our educators, students, and community stakeholders, valuing their insights and learning from and with them,” Birge said.

“It is my hope that, together, we will build upon our existing achievements and create an inclusive environment where every student feels a sense of belonging at PHS.”

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