Full disclosure: Jane Fremon and I are sisters. She and I have both been involved in education for our entire professional lives, which adds up to decades. It’s true that we’ve plowed somewhat different furrows – I’ve worked in the public school environment, while she’s spent her career in independent schools, and in particular within the rich tradition of Quaker education.

But while Jane’s and my educational “worlds” have been somewhat separate, we share many beliefs and approaches. In particular, we both find sustenance in the creativity and resilience of children, and are impressed, daily, by their keen search for understanding and connection. We have both embraced the notion of students’ dogged search for understanding, and of the power of the human mind to construct knowledge from experience and reflection on that experience. I have learned a great deal from Jane, as I know any educators who have worked with her have done as well.

I’ve known Jane Fremon for over thirty years. My daughter attended Princeton Friends School for eight years soon after its founding; I served on the PFS board for eighteen years, including five years as chair; and as a fellow educator, I’ve had countless conversations with Jane about teaching children. She is the most inspired and inspiring school leader I’ve ever met. Jane embodies that seeming contradiction: the grounded visionary. She can articulate a deeply moving sense of the way that good schools can transform society, and she can also talk in detail about the best way to teach fourth-grade math. It’s a privilege to learn from someone so passionate and deeply informed about progressive, child-centered education.

Jane Fremon has served New Jersey’s independent schools in many capacities: as an NJAIS Board member, a facilitator for two cohorts of our Leadership Institute, a presenter at our biennial conference, editor of the new Accreditation Guide, and Chair of a recent accreditation Visiting Team. Jane is extraordinary in everything she undertakes! Thoughtful and thorough, she is gifted at getting the best out of those around her, and out of any project that requires intelligence, analysis, and superb writing skills. She works magic!

Ever since Jane Fremon spearheaded the founding of Princeton Friends School more than 30 years ago, I watched as she fashioned school curriculum in the here & now, informed by both classic and contemporary wisdom and dynamics. She worked collaboratively with a team of teachers to link elementary and middle school students in timely ways with the timeless themes that inform our human existence. In creating a curriculum “from scratch” – year after year – Jane honed her educational muscles both mightily and tenderly.

Jane is an exceptional educational leader with unbridled passion, true vision, and an ability to successfully manage multiple complex projects at once. As an authentic servant leader, she inspires her team to create magical, hands-on learning experiences that promote student inquiry, creativity, and life-long learning. In her 30+ years serving the Princeton-Blairstown Center – both as a trustee and as the facilitator of Princeton Friends School’s annual three-day trips to our campus in the woods – Jane has created unique community building experiential learning opportunities for her entire school community – parents, students, and teachers. Jane is an extraordinary connector of people, bringing a lifetime of educational and social justice training and experience to bear with each project she undertakes. As both a board member and a board/staff co-leader, she is uniquely poised to understand the roles that a dynamic and effective Board and an engaged staff play in an organization’s success.

Jane Fremon, through her vast experience and wisdom, has been a huge and sound resource for me and so many others regarding independent schools, whether it be about mission, governance, administration, curriculum or child development, to name a few areas. Her advice and counsel have been thoughtful, clear and practical. I recommend her without reservation.

In her time stepping in as a math consultant for our lower school, Jane brought a renewed sense of energy and commitment to math education. She took time to learn about our mathematics approach and program in order to develop both a scope and sequence and a set of critical assessments so that we could better support our students. In her time with us she also sought out new and creative tools and programs that helped to make math learning more relevant and engaging. Jane’s work launched our division into a new phase of growth. (Thank you Jane!)

Jane Fremon looks at a school with a clear head for how to make it run better and with a full heart for the children it is educating. I can’t imagine anyone better for recognizing a school for what it is and what it could be.

Jane is a tenacious listener who quickly grasps a problem and draws upon a wealth of educational experience to pinpoint just the right solution, and a magnificent orator who succinctly captures the story of a school and its people.

Jane has the amazing ability to inspire, strengthen, and support a team. Her energy is warm and motivational and her words bring entire organizations to tears filled with hope and inspiration.

Having worked under Jane’s leadership on an intensive school accreditation visit, I can attest to her utmost professionalism and passion for education and school growth. If you are looking for wise and dedicated insight, look no further than Jane Fremon for assistance!

Jane has been a valuable resource to my clients who are looking for an educator’s insight into Princeton-area schools. She offers everything you would expect from a longtime independent school leader, including broad knowledge and access to key decision-makers. I look forward to each and every encounter with Jane Fremon (a true visionary)!