TOWN TOPICS, PRINCETON, N.J., WEDNESDAY, fEbRuARY 22, 2017 • 4
TOWN TOPICS
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Princeton’s Weekly Community Newspaper Since 1946
DONALD C. STUART, 1946-1981 DAN D. COYLE, 1946-1973 Founding Editors/Publishers DONALD C. STUART III, Editor/Publisher, 1981-2001 LYNN ADAMS SMITH Publisher ROBIN BROOMER Advertising Director MELISSA BILYEU Office Manager JENNIFER COVILL Account Manager
MARCH 4–JUNE 11
the berlin painter and his world
KENDRA BROOMER Account Manager CHARLES R. pLOHN Account Manager MONICA SANKEY Account Manager ERIN TOTO Account Manager gINA HOOKEY Classified Ad Manager
PCS Expansion Dispute continued from page one
Opening Celebration | Saturday, March 4 Who Is the Berlin Painter? Lecture by J. Michael Padgett, Curator of Ancient Art, Princeton University Art Museum 5 pm | Dodds Auditorium, Woodrow Wilson School
Exhibition Viewing and Reception 6–7:30 pm | Art Museum The Berlin Painter and His World: Athenian Vase-Painting in the Early Fifth Century b.c. has been made possible by generous support from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.
always free and open to the public artmuseum.princeton.edu
Greek, Attic, ca. 485–480 B.C., attributed to the Berlin Painter, Red-figure neck-amphora with ridged handles, with an Amazonomachy with Herakles (detail). Ceramic. Antikenmuseum Basel und Sammlung Ludwig (BS 453)
TT_Berlin Painter.indd 1
2/21/17 10:29 AM
Bruce Springsteen:
A PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY A Panel Discussion Led by Bob Santelli, Director, The GRAMMY Museum Presented in conjunction with Morven’s current exhibition, photographers Danny Clinch, Ed Gallucci, Eric Meola, Barry Schneier, Pamela Springsteen and Frank Stefanko discuss their adventures photographing Springsteen throughout his career.
Sunday, March 5, 3:00 p.m.
McCosh 50 Lecture Hall, Princeton University Doors open at 2:00 p.m. Reservations are required. For tickets and more information visit morven.org/programs or call 609.924.8144 x113 PHOTOGRAPH BY PAMELA SPRINGSTEEN
of each of the above groups, Mr. Argote-Freyre’s letter called on the commissioner to reject the expansion proposal and “to close the facility because of a pattern of segregation spanning a decade,” claiming that “the state of New Jersey and the Christie Administration have failed miserably at enforcing state laws that require charter schools to reflect the demographics of their respective school districts.” PCS Head Larry Patton categorically denied the Latino Coalition charges, describing them as “unsubstantiated allegations” and “frivolous claims.” He stated, “PCS enrolls its students through an open lottery system in full compliance with the Department of Education regulations. We are exceptionally proud of our diverse student population and the outstanding academic outcomes our school achieves.” Going on to describe Mr. Argote-Freyre’s letter as a “baseless complaint,” Mr. Patton stated that the Latino Coalition has filed similar attacks on other charter schools. “This tactic is clearly designed to improperly influence the department’s decision on the school’s expansion request while defaming the school and its families in the process.” Seeking to get in his own last word and hoping to raise “the quality and character of the discourse in our community about these issues,” PPS Superintendent Steve Cochrane made his final arguments last Friday in a seven-page letter to the commissioner. He accused PCS of seeking “to obfuscate the issues and disparage individuals,” in their February 10 appeal to the commissioner. He went on to emphasize his concerns about the negative financial impact of Charter School expansion on the district’s schools, again refuting the PCS argument that the proposed expansion would help to address the district’s rising enrollments. Pointing out “dramatic differences in student demographics” between PPS and PCS, Mr. Cochrane also asserted that PCS claims of superior student performance
SPONSORED BY
the Sally F. & James Scott Hill Foundation CURATED BY THE
Pheasant Hill Foundation
Ann & Austin Starkey
Supported in part by a grant from the New Jersey Department of State, Division of Travel & Tourism 55 Stockton Street, Princeton, NJ 08540 • 609.924.8144 • morven.org
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Annual Barbara Boggs Sigmund Award Event, taking place April 27 at the Westin in the Forrestal Center. The success of this event, which benefits women, children, and men who suffer from interpersonal violence, is credited largely to sponsors, who lend their names and financial support. The money raised every year goes directly to programs and services to help victims and survivors of domestic and sexual abuse. Programs include, crisis intervention, 24/7 emergency shelter, counseling, court advocacy, and housing services. For this event Womanspace will be honoring the 2016 Olympic Gold Medalist in judo, Kayla Harrison for her efforts to shed a light on child sexual abuse Womanspace Seeks Sponsors through her Fearless FounFor Annual Sigmund Event dation. Visit www.womWomanspace is looking anspace.org for more infor sponsors for the 23 rd formation.
on standardized tests were unwarranted. “My goal, and that of our Board,” he concluded, “continues to be to unite our community around our students and around the most effective educational use of limited tax dollars.” Noting that the “expansion application has placed us at cross purposes,” Mr. Cochrane continued to hold out hope for resolution and a decision “that will unify our community rather than divide it.” He pointed out that PPS and PCS have “a recent history of working together collegially and cooperatively,” but meetings and discussion between leaders of the two schools have not taken place in recent weeks. —Donald Gilpin
Topics In Brief
A Community Bulletin NJ Colonial Architecture Talk: In honor of Washington’s birthday on Thursday, February 23 at 7 p.m., the Historical Society of Princeton will host a talk by author David Veasey on New Jersey Colonial Architecture at Updike Farmstead, 354 Quaker Road. Free but registration is required. (609) 921-6748 ext. 102. Free Rabies Clinic: Saturday, February 25, 9 a.m. to noon at the Princeton Fire Department, 363 Witherspoon Street. Historical Society of Princeton Annual Meeting and Lecture: Wednesday, March 8 at 7 p.m., at the Nassau Club, 6 Mercer Street. The public is invited; Brian Schilling lectures on farmland preservation in New Jersey. Free but limited seating; RSVP to (609) 921-6748 or kristen@princetonhistory.org. Town Requests Comments on Sidewalks: The Princeton Complete Streets Committee has formed an Ad Hoc Sidewalk Task Group to make recommendations about whether further additions to the town’s sidewalk network are warranted. Residents are invited to submit comments to samuel.bunting@outlook.com. Further details are at: www.princetonnj.gov/notices/ ad-hoc-sidewalk-task-group-comments.pdf. March for Meals 2017: To help support Meals on Wheels of Mercer County, local establishments including Yankee Doodle Tap Room, Acacia, and Masala Grill will donate a portion of proceeds on selected dates. Visit www.mealsonwheelsmercer.org for specifics or call (609) 695-3483. Communiversity Applications: Available for Communiversity ArtsFest 2017, taking place April 30. Artists, crafters, performers, food vendors, merchants, non-profit organizations, and sponsors should visit artscouncilofprinceton.org to download applications. The deadline is February 28. Host a Child From the Fresh Air Fund: Anyone interested in hosting a child from New York City’s low income communities this summer can contact Laurie Bershad at (609) 865-5916 or visit www.freshair. org. Tax Assistance: Free income tax preparation assistance is offered by AARP for those with low to moderate incomes, at Princeton Public Library on Mondays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. (call ((609) 924-9529) and Princeton Senior Resource Center Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to noon (924-7108). Appointments are necessary.