Local resident Cecilia Birge chosen to lead Princeton High School

Princeton resident Cecilia Birge has been chosen to serve as the next principal at Princeton High School.

Birge has longstanding ties to the high school. She has served as an assistant principal since 2020, and previously taught special education and mathematics at the school. She also served as the head coach for the Princeton High School speech and debate team and has been an assistant coach of the high school volleyball team and the coach of the girls’ junior varsity volleyball team. 

During her time at Princeton High School, Birge has also been a community liaison with the Chinese-American community. She has worked with high school guidance counselors to bridge cultural gaps and promote a continuing dialog on race relations. She has also helped community organizations identify and support families suffering from financial and other hardships. She first worked at Princeton High School in 2012 and then returned in 2015 after working at Dwight Morrow High School in Englewood from 2013 to 2015.

Birge earned her bachelor’s degree in history from Bryn Mawr College and her master’s degree from the Teachers College at Columbia University. In her free time, she enjoys competing at Tae Kwon Do Hanmadangs (festivals). She was a silver medalist in the U.S. Open Tae Kwon Do Hanmadang in 2012. 

Birge replaces Frank Chmiel, who was put on paid leave in March. The board declined to renew his contract. An interim principal has been serving at the high school since he was put on paid leave.

The board of education for the Princeton Public Schools will formally vote on Birge’s appointment at the board’s public meeting at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 31.