Dominique Velociter Named Permanent Head of School at French American School of Princeton
Dominique Velociter, Head of School
PRINCETON, NJ. (January 26, 2023): The Board of Trustees is thrilled to announce the appointment of Dominique Velociter as permanent Head of School for the French American School of Princeton (FASP). A school-wide celebration of students, families, faculty, and Board of Trustees was held today to mark the announcement. Ms. Velociter joined the school in June 2021 as Interim Head to succeed School Founder and initial Head of School Corinne Güngör.
Since its early beginning in 2000, French American School of Princeton has grown from five students to 150 and is established on the St. Joseph’s Seminary campus offering a unique bi-lingual curriculum and learning experience for children in preschool to grade eight. With a wealth of experience in education, Velociter is poised to embrace the challenge of growing school enrollment and expanding the excellent academic reputation of the school.
“We are impressed with Ms. Velociter’s enthusiasm, commitment, and passion for the School and are excited about the numerous initiatives she and her team have implemented. We unanimously believe that Ms. Velociter is the right leader for FASP at this important time,” said Mark Solomon, Chair of the FASP Board of Trustees.
“I am incredibly honored to accept this call to lead FASP and to carry forward the mission, vision and momentum of this wonderful school,” said Ms. Velociter. “The past year has confirmed what I had envisioned a year ago – the school is a perfect fit: an active learning community with remarkable teachers, talented staff, dedicated parents, and most importantly, brilliant young minds eager to develop bilingually and engage and achieve success in the world. With the support of the faculty and staff I look forward to deepening the impact on the community of this unique and visionary program entirely pertinent to today’s world.”
Before joining FASP, Ms. Velociter, during her distinguished career in education, served in a wide range of head of school roles within independent schools across the world. Ms. Velociter served as Founder and Head of School at the French American School of Rhode Island for over twenty years. Then, she served in Head of School positions in New York, California, and Bulgaria, and most recently, the Superintendent of Dar Jana International School, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. She holds a master’s degree in teaching and learning from the University of Paris Créteil, France. She is a Chevalier in the prestigious French Order of the Legion of Honor, Order of Merit, and of the Academic Palms.
“I believe that students are at the core of any school, and that learning should be a boundless and fascinating pursuit of knowledge and a rewarding and inspiring adventure,” says Ms. Velociter. Her educational philosophy is to engage students in discovering the world and who they are, encouraging the exploration of other people, other cultures, while embracing new experiences, and taking risks.
“It is about learning to trust oneself and live to the fullest, to dream big, to be open, kind, to search for answers, to ask questions and to seek depth in everything,” says Velociter. “Education is about sharing, about connections, about feelings, and making friendships.”
This goal requires a rigorous and meaningful blend of the French and American curriculum that incorporates both academic and social-emotional learning and the careful selection of highly qualified educators who feel responsible for the success of every student. FASP is committed to a program of academic excellence designed to train the mind, strengthen the character, and enrich the spirit of each student through the benefits of bilingual learning.
“We welcome your child and family to our bilingual school and our multicultural international community,” concludes new Head of School Dominique Velociter. “We look forward to seeing you on our campus.”
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If you would like more information about French American School of Princeton, please call 609-430-3001 or email admissions@ecoleprinceton.org. or visit the website at www.ecoleprinceton.org