Princeton Board of Education unanimously appoints Dr. Michael L'Souza as superintendent

The Princeton Board of Education voted unanimously at a special meeting to appoint Dr. Michael L'Souza as superintendent of the Princeton Public Schools, with the contract set to begin July 1, 2025.

The board said the appointment followed a district search that began July 29, 2024, used consultants from School Leadership LLC and incorporated two days of in‑person focus groups, 18 in‑person and six virtual meetings that attracted more than 200 stakeholders and more than 500 survey responses.

Betsy Baglio, who chaired the district’s ad hoc superintendent search committee, told the meeting the committee and consultants screened 37 applications (including 17 from current superintendents), conducted screening interviews for 16 candidates and held eight in‑person first‑round interviews before narrowing the field. “It was the unanimous recommendation of the search committee and the board to hire consultants, Dr. Marty Brooks and Ms. Rena Bader from School Leadership LLC to lead the search,” Baglio said.

The board thanked district staff and officials who supported the process, including business administrator Matt Bolden and interim Superintendent Kathy Foster, who the board said will remain in place through June 30, 2025 to assist with transition. The board also noted that the Mercer County superintendent’s office expedited contract approval so the district could place a permanent leader in July.

Dr. Michael L'Souza, who addressed the audience after the board’s remarks, described his 23‑plus years in Chatham schools and said Princeton’s diversity and values drew him to apply. “Every single person that I met today from the tech guys to the custodians to the principals to the teacher aides and the lunch aides have been so phenomenally welcoming and enthusiastic,” L'Souza said. He added that the board’s questioning during the search convinced him it puts children first.

Public comments at the meeting largely welcomed L'Souza. Jill Weber, who said she had served on her district’s board for 14 years and 12 years as president, praised his leadership and predicted the hire would be “transformative.” Terry Boyd, speaking for Princeton Parents for Black Children, and district staff including Crystal Riddick, supervisor of special education at the high school, and Cecilia Burch, principal of Princeton High School, offered welcomes and expressions of support.

The board took a formal motion to approve the appointment and employment agreement; roll call showed a unanimous yes from the 10 board members present. The board announced cake and refreshments following the vote and adjourned the roughly 35‑minute special meeting.

Details provided at the meeting: the search produced 37 applications; consultants ran multiple focus groups and received over 500 survey responses; the board approved a job description at a special meeting on Oct. 16, 2024; the search page launched Oct. 17, 2024. The board credited consultants Dr. Marty Brooks and Ms. Rena Bader and thanked interim Superintendent Kathy Foster and business administrator Matt Bolden for assisting with logistics and the transition.