Board accepts annual audit report, reviews safety data and approves consent agenda

The Princeton Board of Education discussed the district’s annual external audit and the semiannual student safety data report before approving the consent agenda during its public meeting.

Matt’s finance team presented highlights from Nisavachi & Company’s annual audit; the board reported there were no audit findings. The superintendent and committee members said interest earnings on invested referendum proceeds and operating investments had produced a temporary increase in revenues, but that those earnings were not recurring. Committee members said auditors offered a few minor suggestions that district staff would take under advisement.

Separately, the board reviewed the semiannual student safety data report. Administrators cautioned that the published “delta” had been incorrect on the agenda and distributed an updated dataset in the meeting. The report showed an increase in incidents categorized as violence, with several taking place at the middle school. The superintendent emphasized that the district investigates every report and said that middle-school students typically experience greater challenges with self-regulation. She said district staff will present prevention and counseling strategies at a future meeting and that the counseling supervisor will address ways to reduce suspensions and harassment/intimidation/bullying incidents.

After those reports, the board took a single consent vote on a package of personnel items, field trips, contracts and financial reports. The chair called for a motion; the consent agenda was moved and seconded and passed unanimously. The roll call recorded all ten elected board members voting “yes.” The consent agenda included personnel appointments, resignations, the annual school district audit acceptance listed on the agenda and multiple purchase and construction items (detailed items were listed on the board agenda). The meeting minutes for Jan. 7 and Jan. 8 were also approved earlier in the meeting; roll-call votes for those minutes recorded unanimous votes by the present members.

During committee reports, operations committee members summarized work on prior referendums and capital projects: elementary HVAC boilers (75% funded by an energy-saver grant and balance from referendum funds), perimeter heating control upgrades, ongoing middle-school HVAC work slated for summer 2026, completed work under the 2023 referendum (cafeteria, pool lining, access upgrades) and continuing projects such as door hardware and security camera upgrades. The operations committee also reported initial steps toward a district solar evaluation and an energy-savings challenge that includes Valley Road and other schools.

Policy committee members presented several policy updates slated for first reading (to return for second reading before adoption). The recommended first readings included procedural changes to conform to the updated state memorandum of agreement between schools and law enforcement (policies 5512, related regs and others), updates to high school graduation requirements tied to completion of financial-aid applications, and updates to food services policy to reflect changes in terminology and income-eligibility rules. The policy committee noted annual board ethics training scheduled for Feb. 4.

Board members closed the meeting by urging community participation in the Jan. 28 referendum and adjourning after the consent vote passed.