By Donald Gilpin

Stacy Young

Stacy Young, who grew up in Princeton, was a product of the public schools and a 2008 Princeton High School (PHS) graduate, and is currently director of equity, data, and accountability for the Montgomery Township School District, has been appointed to be the next principal of Johnson Park Elementary School (JP).

She will succeed Christopher Sheridan, who is stepping down on June 30 after just one year at the helm of JP.

“Not only is Stacy Young an accomplished leader, she is a proud alumna of Princeton Public Schools (PPS),” said Interim Superintendent Kathie Foster in a PPS press release. “As a homegrown member of this dynamic community, Stacy is already deeply committed to providing the best possible learning experiences and building a strong sense of belonging for our students.”

Young was born and raised in the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood, the daughter of Haitian immigrants, growing up in a multi-racial home, “navigating life between two cultures,” she told the Board of Education (BOE), who unanimously approved her appointment at last week’s BOE meeting.

There were 48 applicants for the position, BOE President Dafna Kendal reported, eight invited for the first round of interviews, six for the second round, and two finalists. Young’s “enthusiasm, warmth, and care for children put her at the top,” Kendal added.

PHS English Teacher Doug Levandowski, one of several PPS educators mentioned by Young as having had a significant impact on her life, recalled Young’s time at PHS. “Stacy was always an avid reader and a thoughtful student,’ he wrote in an email. “She had brilliant insights about the texts, but she never participated just to participate. She spoke when she felt she had something to say, and when she did, it was always something great! I also remember how kind she was to her fellow students.”

In addition to leading the District Equity Leadership Team in Montgomery, Young also served as the district anti-bullying coordinator and the district test coordinator. She held a similar position in the Bound Brook School District and has also held roles as a supervisor of English, an assistant director of an alternate route teaching program, and an English language arts teacher.

Young received her B.A. in English and secondary education and her M.E. in educational leadership from The College of New Jersey and her Ed.D. in educational leadership from Rider University. Her salary as Johnson Park principal will be $149,500 plus a doctoral stipend of $4,000, according to BOE documents.

In a short speech at last week’s meeting, Young reflected on her childhood in Princeton, thanked her former mentors and her family, and expressed her enthusiasm and aspirations for the job ahead.

She remembered “trying to honor my Haitian roots while also assimilating into my American ones.” She noted, “My mom did her best, but she was trying to support me through a system that she just didn’t understand, and we were scraping by. We just didn’t have much, and though this community had and still has incredible resources, it didn’t necessarily always make me feel included or like I belonged, and yet I’m here.”

She went on, “Education is hard work, and you don’t always get to see the fruits of your labor,” she said. “Students go on to the next grade, to the next school, to the next part of their lives, and sometimes you just have to wonder if they made it. Well, I made it.”

Noting a number of educators at PPS who had had an impact on her life, Young emphasized, “I’m a reader because of you. I’m a writer because of you. I’m a teacher because of you, and now a principal. You saw me when I needed to be seen, and you lifted me up when I was down. Thank you for that.”

Young lives with her husband and their 2-year-old daughter and two dogs — no longer in Princeton, but, according to the press release, she still enjoys visiting, especially to eat at Olives and the Blue Point Grill.

“I’m truly so honored to be stepping into this new chapter with JP,” Young stated. “I can’t wait to get to know the students, staff, and families, and to see firsthand all the wonderful things that make JP such a special place. I’m especially excited to work together to make sure everyone feels seen, heard, valued, and that they belong. And as a proud product of PPS, it’s also just so special to be coming back home.”