Princeton BOE Meets Tuesday; Cell Phone Policy Update, Activity Fee Among Topics

PRINCETON, NJ — The Princeton Public Schools Board of Education meets Tuesday, for its regular monthly meeting, with updates on a proposed student activity fee and the district's cell phone policy among the items on the agenda.

The meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Valley Road Conference Room.

Student Board Members Graduate Off

The board will formally recognize two departing student members, Ani Betancourt and Ash Nieman, both leaving due to graduation after a year of service.

Enrollment Projections

The board's Long-Term Planning Committee is expected to take up the question of future school enrollments at Tuesday's meeting. The committee, chaired by Beth Behrend and Susan Kanter, has been examining projections for the district's student population in the coming years.

Activity Fee and Cell Phone Policy

Superintendent's updates on both an activity participation fee program and the district's cell phone law and policy are on the agenda. A first reading of Policy P2436, which would establish an Activity Participation Fee Program, is also scheduled, along with a first reading of Policy P2361 on acceptable use of computer networks and digital resources.

New Textbooks

The board is set to approve two new textbooks for the high school. "The Practice of Statistics for the AP Course" by Starnes and Tabor, published by BFW, would be adopted for AP Statistics at a cost of $31,000. The board will also consider adopting "Freedom on My Mind: A History of African Americans" for AP African American Studies at a cost of $4,300.

Preschool Provider Contracts

The board is expected to approve contracts totaling more than $2.09 million for preschool providers for the 2026-2027 school year. The Burke Foundation Early Childhood Center at the Princeton YWCA would receive $1,395,540 and the Princeton Community Family Learning Center $697,770 to provide pre-K classrooms for three- and four-year-olds funded through Preschool Expansion Aid.

Cranbury Tuition Agreement

The board will vote on renewing its sending-receiving agreement with Cranbury Township, setting combined tuition for regular and special education services at $4,854,409.55 for 2026-2027, payable in 10 monthly installments of $485,440.96 beginning in September.

Personnel

The board will accept the retirement of Randolph Casey, a science teacher at Princeton Middle School with 14 years in the district, effective July 1. It will also accept resignations from several staff members, including special education teacher Ashley Hobbs and math teacher Candice Knight, both at the high school, effective June 30.

Finances

The board will consider approving a bills list totaling $2,653,829.68 for May and June and a payroll certification of $6,543,705.22 for May 31. The board is also expected to authorize a transfer of $440,893.48 from its NJ ARM account to its operating account and to set aside up to $8 million in reserve accounts — $6 million in capital reserve and $2 million in maintenance reserve — at year end.

Scholarships and Donations

The board will accept several donations and scholarships, including $5,500 from the Class of 1968 for book awards, $7,072 from the Princeton Area Community Foundation via J. Seward Johnson Jr., and $1,200 from the Latinos Unidos Club for two $600 scholarship awards.

Tuesday's meeting is open to the public. Residents may comment on agenda items or other matters, with a 15-minute maximum for public comment.

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