Princeton Board appoints Margarita Baldeo as assistant superintendent for special services

The Princeton Board of Education voted to appoint Margarita Baldeo as Assistant Superintendent of Special Services during its public meeting.

The board said it elevated a prior director role to an assistant‑superintendent position and interviewed four candidates before selecting Baldeo, who currently serves as director of special services at Upper Freehold Regional School District. The board said she previously worked as a supervisor of student services in Hamilton Township and as a child study team member, holds bachelor's and master's degrees in clinical social work from Rutgers, is a licensed clinical social worker, and is pursuing a doctorate in clinical social work at Rutgers. The district announced Baldeo’s anticipated start date as May 27.

Why it matters: The position centralizes district leadership for special education services and — according to board remarks at the meeting — is intended to strengthen bilingual outreach and systemwide supports for students with individualized education programs (IEPs). Board members emphasized the district’s responsibility to students who need additional supports.

Board members discussed the search briefly before a roll‑call vote. The meeting record shows the motion carried and the board welcomed Baldeo; attendees and several board members offered public thanks. In her remarks to the board, Baldeo said she was “honored to step into such an important role” and expressed a commitment to equitable and inclusive opportunities for students.

What the board said about the hire: Board members praised Baldeo’s bilingual skills and experience working with families and student support systems. One board speaker noted the special‑education “committee . . . believed that Margarita is the one to take us there,” and the board described the hire as intended to improve communication with bilingual families.

Details and next steps: The personnel action approving Baldeo’s appointment appears on the meeting consent agenda and carried by roll call. The board and administration described the personnel committee process and said the appointment follows its recommendation. The new title consolidates district special services leadership under an assistant‑superintendent role; the district did not provide additional implementation details (for example, organizational chart updates) during the public portion of the meeting.

Provenance: The appointment and biographical details were introduced in the board’s discussion of personnel and the candidate’s remarks during the public meeting.