Town Hall Meetings On Princeton Schools Referendum Set For Feb. 8

PRINCETON, NJ — Fielding Nair International (FNI) will host a pair of town hall meetings concerning the Princeton Public School District facilities referendum scheduled for this fall on Feb. 8, the school district announced. At the town hall meetings, community members will have the chance to discuss ideas for a new fifth and sixth grade school and the renovation and expansion of Princeton High School.

The morning meeting is set for 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the John Witherspoon Middle School Auditorium. The evening meeting is set for 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Princeton High School Cafeteria. The meetings will be led by Fielding Nair CEO Prakash Nair and renowned educator Dr. Heidi Hayes Jacobs.

Fielding Nair is one of the architectural firms the school district has contracted with to develop a plan for the referendum. It is considered a global leader in 21st century school design, according to the district.

Nair and Hayes Jacobs will discuss 21st century trends in learning and share best practices from around the world in school design. They will be partnering with the Princeton Public School District throughout the design process to ensure that spaces being built will help prepare students to truly thrive in today’s – and tomorrow’s – world, the district said.

During the morning meeting, Nair and Hayes Jacobs will make a presentation on the need to redefine education in the 21st century and share how the schools can prepare students for today’s and tomorrow’s dynamic environments.

The presentation will be repeated in the evening. The evening session will include more opportunities for community feedback and small group conversations. In a workshop format, participants will explore initial ideas and concepts, discuss options, and brainstorm ideas to help design the future of the Princeton Public School District.

Nair, founding President and CEO of Fielding Nair, is an award-winning architect, including recipient of the A4LE MacConnell Award, the highest honor worldwide for school design. He is also the author of two books including the landmark publication, “The Language of School Design and Blueprint for Tomorrow: Redesigning Schools for Student-Centered Learning,” published by the Harvard Education Press.

Hayes Jacobs is an internationally recognized expert on curriculum design, upgrading school design, and modernizing assessments. The author of 13 books and numerous articles, including her latest book, “Bold Moves for Schools: How We Create Remarkable Learning Environments,” Hayes Jacobs is a highly sought-after speaker and educator, and is one of the foremost experts on 21st Century learning.

Patch file photo