An educator, a businessman (and boy scout leader), and a lawyer with extensive experience in regulatory and compliance law and finance won election to three-year-terms on the Princeton School Board last week.

Optimism, deep experience, and commitment to excellence for the district and its students characterize the three elected leaders, but their particular areas of expertise and their priorities reveal both contrasts and similarities.

Elected to office on November 3 were Elizabeth (Betsy) Kalber Baglio, former public school teacher and educational consultant, who won 2428 votes; incumbent Patrick Sullivan, private investor, former corporate lawyer and investment banker, who gained 2306 votes; and Dafna Kendal, a lawyer, who received 2032 votes. Robert Dodge, a research scientist working in a bio-pharmaceutical company, fell short in his bid, with 1780 votes. Each candidate has two children enrolled in the district. 

Ms. Baglio, 40, currently an active parent volunteer at Community Park as a member of the PTO, the Global Studies Initiative Steering Committee, Dual Language Initiative Study Group, and the District Strategic Planning Steering Committee, declared her top priority to be “the need for increased collaboration and effective communication.”

“Princeton is a remarkable place, and our school district is terrific,” she said. “However, I believe that we will be able to improve upon the good work that is already being done by encouraging more open communication among all constituents in the interest of the students.”

With experience as a teacher in Massachusetts public schools, professional development director for a consortium of school districts and educational consultant, Ms. Baglio sees her background in education as helpful in working to foster innovation, engagement and positive interaction in the District.

“I hope to support innovation on the part of our educators and allow teachers and administrators additional opportunities to learn from one another,” Ms. Baglio said. “I look forward to seeking out new ways for parents and other community members to engage with our educators.”

Mr. Sullivan, 52, emphasized the importance, in his upcoming second term, of “focusing on the Strategic Plan, and using the thoughts and creativity of our community to make our district truly great.” Scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 43 in Princeton, School Board Vice President and Chair of the Finance and Student Achievement Committees, with 25 years experience in law and finance, Mr. Sullivan hopes to see ongoing improvements in the school system — “fixing the bad parts and yet keeping the good parts.” As exciting manifestations of the schools’ progress, he cited the Dual Language Immersion program at Community Park, the collaborative IDEAS wing at John Witherspoon, the free Internet access program for families who previously did not have access to school websites, and the “incredible work” being done in new science courses.

Highlighting a key element in the District’s Strategic Plan that involves “making sure that every child is known and treated in a way that is appropriate with their needs,” Mr. Sullivan stated, “just wait: things are going to get really great here, and we’re going to encourage the creativity of everyone who works to help our kids.”

Ms. Kendal, in looking ahead to the next three years, stated that she prioritizes careful, long-term financial planning to address the challenges of increasing enrollment, as well as communication and inclusion of all voices in the school community. “Throughout the campaign,” she said, “I heard loud and clear from our community that the Board must be more transparent in its activities and be more open to community dialogue. We are fortunate to live in a community comprised of well-educated and involved citizens. Involving the public in our decision-making process can only make us better.”

Ms. Kendal, who has worked as a regulatory and compliance lawyer, questioned the validity of recent PARCC test results and applauded two recent bills that limit the impact of high stakes testing by prohibiting the NJ Department of Education from withholding state aid to districts like Princeton with high refusal rates and restricting standardized testing in grades K-2. She also noted that the NJ DOE is re-drafting the New Jersey Standards to replace the Common Core.

“Regardless of what the new standards are called or what the test will be,” she stated, “it is important that we keep in mind that education is about learning, and learning can only be optimized when we listen to the voice of educators, parents, and the community.” Ms. Kendal added that she will lend her legal expertise and her listening skills to help “ensure that we focus on learning rather than testing.”

Two additional specific goals on Ms. Kendal’s radar are to make Princeton schools sustainable, reducing energy consumption in the process, and to amend the Board agenda so that public comment takes place at the beginning rather than the end of the meeting.

Ms. Kendal and Ms. Baglio will join Mr. Sullivan and other returning members on the School Board in January, when Rebecca Cox and Martha Land step down at the expiration of their terms.