Dear Princeton Tiger Families:

I suspect many of you have been waiting eagerly for this announcement for months: It's Back to School Time! For others, it is a signal that routines are about to change, and with that comes some anxiousness. For families of our youngest Tiger Cubs, you are preparing for many firsts. And families of the Class of 2022 - it's time to turn on your camera for all of the lasts you will document this year. Whatever your feelings are about the coming year... it's ok. We've been through a lot during the last year. And as I shared with our staff, you are precisely where you need to be at this time, in this place. You are part of the Princeton Tiger family, and we are so glad you are here!

We are beyond excited to welcome all of our students back to school this year! Our team of educators has selected this profession because we love helping children learn and grow! There is nothing like seeing a student's excitement when they solve a tough challenge or master a new skill. When that light bulb goes on, and they say, "I get it!" 

We want you to know that children are the most important thing to us. They are the future of our community and our world, and we appreciate you entrusting us with their learning and growth. As an innovative leader in instruction, our mission is to develop in EVERY learner the ability to succeed in an ever-changing world. 

We know that excellence doesn't happen by accident. We have a Game Plan and Continuous Improvement plan and as a team, we are constantly working to improve. Even during the pandemic, our team was innovating. We engaged hundreds of community members (pre-covid) in defining what we hope for each Princeton graduate. We call it our Habits of a Tiger, and we begin teaching them at every grade level. Most importantly, the Habits of a Tiger were designed locally, by our community, and reflect our core values and local priorities for our students.

This year, our high school students also have the opportunity to join one of six Career Academies to pursue their interests in Business; Information Systems and Communications; Engineering, Manufacturing, and Technology; Health Sciences; Agriculture and Natural Resources; and Human Services. In addition, we have also expanded opportunities for earning college credits in high school. We want to equip every student to be career and college-ready through personalized instruction, community partnerships, and collaboration. If you'd like to partner with our Academies, don't hesitate to contact Principal Muckenhirn at the High School.

We know these are indeed challenging times as the pandemic continues to evolve. However, we're all facing challenges together. Our number one priority is for students to be in school. That priority is shared by the CDC and other medical and mental health professionals across the country. So how do we balance the need for safety and precautions with the daily happenings and social interactions in schools? As superintendent, my philosophy is to learn, listen and consider all points of view to find a middle ground. We cannot ignore the pandemic, yet we won't put every possible safety precaution in place either. Our goal is to keep students in school with the least restrictions while maintaining confidence that we provide a safe environment for students and staff. 

I'm amazed as I watch the evening news. There are reports of students returning to school for the first time across the country in 18 months. There are school systems at odds with their state leaders. Communities and schools are in turmoil. I'm so appreciative that those stories are a far cry from our local community. Our students have been in school; we know how to reduce transmission. We had an excellent spring and expect fall to be even better. 

We all want what is best for our students—a high-quality education. So, as we prepare to open our schools, I want to thank you for allowing us to remain focused on students and student learning.

We will continue to be mindful of the global health crisis. We will continue to follow our Playbook of mitigation strategies. We will be monitoring the situation daily with our public health partners, and if we have more positive cases in our community, we will need to be ready to pivot. If adding more restrictions means keeping our kids in school, that's what we will do. If you haven't already done so, please sign up for text messaging in Skyward so we can quickly communicate if needed.

Finally, we will be holding a referendum election this fall to renovate classrooms and educational spaces at Princeton High School, the Intermediate School, and Student Services Building. There are two questions on the ballot, and the second question seeks permission to build an Activities and Community Center onto the High School. This week we posted more detailed information about the costs associated with both plans. Learn about the referendum in this short video, find full details on our website at https://www.isd477.org/referendum, or join me for my first Coffee and Conversation on September 15 at 4:00 PM at the District Center.

It is a privilege to serve the Princeton area community. I am excited to have the opportunity to lead our district into a new school year. It is truly a GREAT place. We intend to continue Princeton’s standard of excellence by providing our students with the support and tools necessary for lifetime learning and achievement to take place.

Remember to visit Family Access to "Verify My Info" and complete the annual forms for your students(s)--this step must be completed before your child's teacher/schedule is unlocked.  Please explore the links below for full details about the 2021-22 school year, including school welcome letters, open house, supply lists and more. 

Respectfully,

Ben Barton | Superintendent
Princeton Public Schools