Princeton School District Reiterates Support For Westminster Choir College

PRINCETON, NJ — The Princeton Public School District reaffirmed its support for the Westminster Choir College and its Princeton campus in formally announcing its decision to take the preliminary steps to purchase the college.

“We support the desire of Rider University to find a buyer for the college that allows Westminster to continue its outstanding legacy of music education,” the district said in a statement. “Should there not be a buyer willing to take on both the college and the campus, Princeton Public Schools would like to be in a position to explore acquisition of the campus in a way that would allow the District to carry on the college’s tradition of exceptional education."

The Board of Education passed a resolution at its March 28 meeting, the same night it shared its long-term demographic report publicly for the first time.

“In light of the report’s projections of rapid and continued enrollment growth over the course of the next decade, the Board feels a responsibility to consider all options to meet the needs of our students,” the district said. “The campus of the Westminster Choir College could be one of those options.”

The district went on to say that it regularly shares facilities with the college, and Westminster students have taught music classes to the district’s sixth graders for more than 20 years.

“We deeply respect Westminster’s nearly 100-year history of artistic innovation and renown, and we hope the exceptional legacy of Westminster Choir College will continue for many more generations,” the district said. “We also hope that in the event the college is unable to remain at its Princeton location, both the college and the town will consider the possibility of the public schools becoming caretakers of the campus and continuing the tradition of educating leaders, scholars, artists and innovators.”

Patch file photo