Princeton ISD approves pay raises

The Princeton ISD Board of Trustees approved pay increases for the 2025–2026 school year, demonstrating the district’s commitment to retaining excellence in the classroom and showing appreciation for the hard work and dedication of its staff.

The PISD school board approved the additional compensation at its July meeting.

The approved raises include:

-- A new starting salary of $60,000 with the $2,000 signing bonus for first-year teachers entering the district

-- $2,500 salary increase for classroom teachers with 2-4 years of service

-- $5,000 salary increase for classroom teachers with 5 or more years of experience

-- A $1/hour pay increase for hourly employees and paraprofessionals

-- A $2,000 pay increase for non-hourly professional staff

Additional benefits offered by Princeton ISD (depending on personnel classification):

• Up to a $10,000 stipend for SPED classroom positions

• Employee day care with reduced rates

• $2,000 stipend for master's degree

• Returning bonus of $2,000 or completion bonus of $1,000

• $2,000 live-in-district stipend

• $300/month employer contribution for insurance

• Competitive stipends for math, science, bilingual, etc., certifications

“These increases are in line with the district’s long-term goals of recruiting, developing and retaining qualified staff members who model an atmosphere of excellence,” Superintendent Donald McIntyre said.

For more information about employment opportunities with Princeton ISD, visit www.princetonisd.net/HR

This shows the placement of all current campuses in PISD, as well as Carrell and Banschbach, which are currently under construction, and the two proposed schools (Abbott and Talley) planned to open in 2027.

Board approves design development

The Princeton ISD Board of Trustees approved the design development of the district's 10th and 11th elementary schools for the projects' architectural firm, Claycomb Associates. One campus is planned for the northern portion of the school district, while the other will be in the far south.

Elementary No. 10 will be the Larry and Sandra Abbott Elementary School and will be located on a 12-acre site in the Lennar neighborhood development at the intersection of FM 75 (Longneck Road) and County Road 831.

This property is situated on the east side of Longneck Road and north of both Monte Carlo Boulevard and the lagoon development.

Elementary No. 11 will be the Dianne Talley Elementary School and will be located on a 10-acre site in southern Princeton. The site is in the Lennar neighborhood development of Tillage Farms along FM 982 near Tillage Drive about a mile south of the Bridgewater subdivision.

Abbott and Talley will both open for the 2027-2028 school year and follow the same design as the Smith, Lowe, Mayfield, Green, James and Carrell campuses. By using a resite, it saves the district significantly in construction costs.

The Larry and Sandra Abbott Elementary School will be located in the Lennar neighborhood development at the intersection of FM 75 (Longneck Road) and County Road 831, which is situated on the east side of Longneck Road and north of both Monte Carlo Boulevard and the lagoon development.

The Dianne Talley Elementary School will be located in the Lennar neighborhood development of Tillage Farms along FM 982 near Tillage Drive about a mile south of the Bridgewater subdivision.

PISD proposed lower tax rate

The PISD Board of Trustees proposed to lower the tax rate from $1.2552 to $1.2072 for the upcoming 2025-2026 budget year, which represents a reduction of nearly 5 cents per $100 valuation.

"We are pleased we are able to reduce the tax rate once again," Superintendent Donald McIntyre said.

The breakdown of the proposed tax rate is .7072 cents for maintenance and operation and .50 cents for debt reduction.

There will be a public hearing for the district's 2025-2026 spending plan at the August meeting.

Trustees will also vote on the proposed budget and tax rate at the Aug. 25 meeting.

Trustees approve new finance director

The Princeton ISD Board of Trustees approved hiring Megan Fine as the new finance director. She fills the position previously held by Nichole Powell, who has been promoted to assistant superintendent of finance.

Ms. Fine has 16 years of experience in finance, with most being in an education role.

She started her career in 2009 with Garland ISD and most recently served as the finance director for Community ISD, a position she held for three years.

She received her bachelor's degree in business administration and accounting from the University of North Texas and her master's in school finance and operations from Concordia University.

Board calls November trustee election

With positions up for election on the school board, trustees voted to call an election for Tuesday, Nov. 4, to choose trustees for a total of two at-large places.

Filing for a place on the board is underway, but so far, no one has filed.

The general election was called to fill two expiring terms, which are 3-year terms. Incumbents for these places on the board are Julia Schmoker and John Campbell.

The top two vote-getters will be elected as trustees.

The deadline to file for the general election is 5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 18. The last day to register to vote is Oct. 6. Early voting runs Oct. 20-31.

PISD upgrades road improvements

Princeton ISD entered into an interlocal agreement with Collin County to partially fund an upgrade to County Road 728.

When the school district builds a new campus, it budgets for repairs to roadways needed after heavy construction equipment travels the road leading to the site.

For County Road 728, PISD has built three schools in the immediate area, including Mattei, James and Perkins.

Collin County crews were already improving the roadway, and the board voted to contribute toward a better roadway surface for less than the repairs were expected to cost.

"It made sense to help fund the upgrade for the roadway surface since many of the cars traveling the roadway will be parents dropping off students, as well as PISD buses," Superintendent Donald McIntyre said. "We want to be good neighbors."

Trustees adopt new policy for devices

The PISD school board adopted a new local policy (FNCE) in response to House Bill 1481, which is the new law that prohibits the use of cellphones and other personal communication devices during the school day.

Under HB 1481, students may not use personal devices at any time during the instructional day, from the first bell to the last. This includes classrooms, hallways, passing periods and lunch. Devices must remain off, out of sight and securely stored for the duration of the school day.

The law applies to personal communication devices, such as:

• Cellphones and smartphones
• Smartwatches
• Tablets
• Smartglasses
• Any communication-capable device not issued by the district for instructional purposes, including personal laptops