By Donald Gilpin
Excitement is in the air at the six Princeton Public Schools (PPS) as students, parents, teachers, staff, and administrators look forward to the first day of classes next Tuesday, September 2.
Construction, renovations, and cleanup projects are wrapping up; teachers are back, planning new lessons and programs, and preparing their classrooms; new students are enjoying orientation exercises; and there are other new faces throughout the district, including new Superintendent Mike LaSusa.
“Deeper Learning” is on the agenda at Princeton High School (PHS), and PHS Principal Cecilia Birge explained what that means. “Our focus this year is to embrace and expand the principles of Deeper Learning,” she wrote in an email. “Last year our test scores reflected remarkable progress — half of all AP subjects reached a five-year high, and across every department, multiple subjects achieved new benchmarks of success. Even more inspiring, 100 percent of our multilingual learners of the Class of 2025 met the state-required graduation benchmark and proudly graduated in June.”
She went on to emphasize that the vision for teaching and learning at PHS extends far beyond test scores. “At its heart it is about cultivating curiosity, critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity — skills that empower students to take ownership of their learning and prepare them for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. This is the true essence of Deeper Learning, and it continues to guide the work we do together.”
On a more practical level, Birge pointed out “exciting facilities improvements,” including new bleachers in the gym with the girls’ volleyball team gearing up for the upcoming season; the tennis courts scheduled for completion by September 21; and a new turf field and track on schedule and ready in time for the football team, cheerleaders, field hockey, cross country, boys’ and girls’ soccer, and other programs.
“We’re especially excited to welcome the community to experience the new facility during Homecoming on October 3,” she said. “It promises to be a fantastic celebration!”
Birge also pointed out that PHS will have an updated bell schedule this year, “designed to give students the time, space, and support they need to truly take ownership of their learning journeys.”
She explained, “Three days each week, students will have meaningful opportunities to work one-on-one or in small groups with their teachers, diving deeper into subjects that spark their curiosity.” Options include community service and participation in clubs. “Ultimately, these opportunities are about preparing our students for life beyond high school — equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to thrive in college, their careers, and as engaged citizens in their communities,” she added.
With summer renovation work on heating upgrades wrapping up, Princeton Middle School (PMS) is ready to host orientation this Thursday, August 28, for more than 250 new sixth graders. “Every year brings great excitement,” said PMS Principal Jason Burr.
“PMS is ready to welcome back its students and continue our work together. As our enrollment continues to grow, we are steadfast in our mission to help every student feel welcome and find success at school,” he added. Construction of new classrooms and other additions and renovations at PMS are scheduled to start next spring.
New Johnson Park School Principal Stacy Young, born and raised in Princeton and a product of PPS, is ready for the fall term. “The start of a new school year is always such a special time,” she wrote. “There’s so much excitement and anticipation in the air! It’s a fresh start that’s full of possibilities: new learning, new friendships, and new opportunities for growth and enrichment. And for many of our students and staff, it’s also a welcome return to routine and stability.”
She emphasized the importance of the involvement of parents and parent groups at Johnson Park. “We’re especially looking forward to continuing our strong partnerships with the PTO, Princeton Parents for Black Children, and other parent-led groups. Their voices and involvement are vital to the success of our schools and our community as a whole.”
Luis Ramirez is looking forward to his ninth year at the helm at Littlebrook with some new programs and new curricula on the agenda.
“At Littlebrook School, we are always excited to have the children back in the building!” he wrote. “Staff members have been busy preparing their classrooms and creating warm, welcoming environments for their students.” He noted that teachers have been trained in the Arts and Letters reading and writing program as part of the new curricula for this year and that the students will also be receiving weekly lessons from Littlebrook’s Character Strong SEL (social-emotional learning) program.
“I am so proud of our incredible staff members and the priority they put into ensuring that every child’s voice is heard, and each of them knows that they matter,” he added. “We are looking forward to another wonderful year of teaching and learning at Littlebrook School.”
Community Park Elementary School (CP) Principal Dineen Gruchacz is also eager to greet the new challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in the 2025-26 school year. “CP is excited to welcome new students to our Dual Language Program and to see familiar faces once again,” she wrote.
She continued, “The district has added new curriculum and materials to enhance instruction and learning experiences across the elementary schools. At CP we continue to be proud of our Spanish language and culture learning experiences, and we remain dedicated to offering a program that is unique, available only here.”
New teacher orientation at Riverside Elementary School took place last week, with the full staff back on board this week. Principal Max Achtau pointed out many upgraded learning spaces and building improvements, including 14 chalkboards resurfaced with magnetic whiteboards. “This will allow teachers to project directly onto the boards and use dry erase markers and magnets to hang teaching materials,” he said.
Also, in implementing the new elementary schools’ Character Strong curriculum at Riverside, Achtau emphasized, “This program will give teachers tools to better support students’ social and emotional needs.”
Looking forward to “a great year” following a lively session with new students at PHS on Monday, Birge reflected, “Freshmen orientation kicked off with a big bang earlier today. It’s GO time!”