Volume LXXVII, Number 39
PEC, Sustainable Princeton Host Green House Tour . . . . . . . . . 5 Leaders from Technology, Art To Discuss ChatGPT . . . . . 8 PU Professor, Graduate Student Join List of Most Influential People In AI . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 McCarter Opens Season With Bulrusher . . . . . 16 Longtime Assistant Coach Dubuque Excited To Take the Helm of PU Wrestling . . . . . . . . . 28 With Carusone Emerging as Go-To Finisher, PHS Boys’ Soccer S tarts 7-0 . . 30
George Gershwin at 125: Celebrating Rhapsody in Blue . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Art . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-24 Best of Fall. . . . . . . . . 2-3 Books . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . 25 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . 37 Mailbox . . . . . . . . . . . 12 New To Us . . . . . . . . . 26 Obituaries . . . . . . . 35-36 Performing Arts . . . 17-19 Real Estate. . . . . . . . . 37 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Topics of the Town . . . . 5 Town Talk . . . . . . . . . . 6
www.towntopics.com
Progress Report On Master Plan at Second Open House On the heels of a series of listening sessions related to Princeton’s Master Plan held in recent weeks throughout the town, the municipality is holding an open house on Wednesday, September 27 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Witherspoon Hall, 400 Witherspoon Street. Where the listening sessions in different neighborhoods were designed to hear from the public about what should be prioritized in the reworking of the document, the open house is about taking that information to the next step. “We’re getting to the point now where we’re able to tell back some of the big themes we’ve heard through these events,” said Municipal Planning Director Justin Lesko. “It’s more about getting to what will be in the document rather than what people want to see. But they can still comment. Staff and consultants and members of the steering committee will be there.” Previous to the listening sessions, the municipality invited the public to take part in an online survey addressing various questions including under-utilized parcels, whether the town should develop a community center, and transportation and traffic issues, among other questions. The Princeton Master Plan is an important legal document and the community’s vision for how and where growth should occur. All municipalities in New Jersey must adopt a master plan. The document sets forth the policies for land use as envisioned by a municipality. This includes the character and location of new development and redevelopment, as well as circulation (vehicles, pedestrians, and bikes), hazard mitigation and climate adaptation, conservation, preservation, utilities, public facilities, and other elements of the built and natural environment. Through its various “elements,” which are distinct and yet interrelated, the master plan articulates a vision for the community, informed by the community. Princeton’s current master plan has been in effect for nearly 30 years. Master plans generally can be expected to be in force for at least 10 years. The existing plan dates from 1996, and was reexamined in 2001, 2007, and 2017. While the recent listening sessions Continued on Page 9
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Wednesday, September 27, 2023
PPS Afterschool Program in Transition Process Following a series of concerns and complaints that started in the first weeks of the school year and a week of petitioning, meeting, and alarms raised over the safety and well-being of the elementary school children in the program, Princeton Public Schools (PPS) Superintendent Carol Kelley announced last Friday, September 22, that the afterschool services provider Right at School (RAS) had announced its intention to terminate its contract with PPS and that a transition plan is underway to choose a new provider. “I’m not a parent who complains too much,” said Sarah Tannenbaum, who has two children in the Littlebrook School aftercare program and has been a leading voice in raising concerns about the program. “I’m quiet normally, but this was really risking the safety of the children. It was pretty ridiculous, and that was clear to everybody. They didn’t have enough staff. The kids were crying and screaming. They were not taking them outside. At Riverside they were just watching kids roughhousing.” Tannenbaum noted, on Tuesday, September 26, that the current transition period seems to be working smoothly. Apparently RAS has replaced some of its workers, and the district has its own
staff members on the job in addition to the RAS staff. “They’re watching the kids,” said Tannenbaum. “Things are very well structured now. The parents feel that their kids are at least safe now with this transition plan, but they’re upset that this even happened.” Kelley wrote in her September 22 statement, “On Thursday afternoon, Right At School … informed us of their intention to terminate their contract with the Princeton Public Schools. We will
make every effort to continue before and after care school services without disruption as we work to identify a new provider.” Kelley went on to comment on the transition process and the selection of a new provider. “Effective immediately, each site will be staffed by Right At School employees and a Princeton Public Schools staff member to ensure our students receive the best possible care. A transition plan is being developed by Continued on Page 11
Charter School Wins 2023 Blue Ribbon, One of Only Nine in NJ, 353 in Country Princeton Charter School (PCS) has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) as a 2023 National Blue Ribbon School (NBRS) award winner. PCS is the only 2023 Blue Ribbon award winner in Mercer County, one of just nine in New Jersey, and only 353 schools in the country. “We are proud of this amazing achievement as a credit to the students, teachers, staff, parents, and administration of Princeton Charter School,” wrote Head of School Larry Patton in a letter to PCS parents. “No single act resulted in this honor, but rather it reflects the collective efforts,
dedication, and shared vision of the entire Charter community.” Founded in 1997, PCS, located on Bunn Drive with a student population of about 420 from kindergarten to grade eight, was also recognized as a Blue Ribbon School in 2004. “A strong sense of community is at the heart of our work,” noted Lisa Eckstrom, assistant head of school for grades five to eight, pointing out that the school was particularly successful in working through the challenges of the pandemic. “Although it would be an honor to Continued on Page 7
COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY CELEBRATION: The Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory hosted a free event focused on sustainability, renewable energy, and environmental stewardship on Saturday. The celebration featured handson activities, science demonstrations, talks, electric bus rides, food, and more. Attendees share what they learned at the event in this week’s Town Talk on page 6. (Photo by Weronika A. Plohn)