The Princeton R-V Board of Education held a series of meetings on Monday, August 12, 2024, focusing on the upcoming academic year and the financial health of the district.
Princeton Tax Rate Hearing
During the Princeton Tax Rate Hearing, the board approved the proposed tax rate for the 2023-24 school year. The rates were set as follows: an incidental rate of $4.4437, a debt service rate of $0.9532, and a capital projects rate of $0.1800 bringing the total tax rate to $5.5769 per $100 of assessed value.
Recent historical total levies for the district are as follows:
- 2024-25: $5.5769
- 2023-24: $5.5432
- 2022-23: $5.2445
The school board opted to voluntarily roll back the debt service levy to fulfill its promise of a no-tax-increase bond issue passed in April 2017. The state auditor’s computation for the debt service tax rate was $1.0209, but the board voluntarily reduced it to $0.9532.
Regular Board of Education Meeting
The regular Board of Education meeting covered several agenda items crucial to the district’s operations:
- The superintendent, Mr. Girdner, announced that the next regular board meeting will take place on Monday, September 9 at 5:30 p.m. School is set to start on Tuesday, August 20.
- The board approved the 2024-25 Local Compliance Plan for Special Education.
- Mr. Guilkey was appointed as the Homeless Liaison.
- Ms. Puls was appointed as the English Language Learners Coordinator.
- A $50,000 grant was approved to support professional development and certification for rural school district employees, aiming to address teacher shortages by enabling them to achieve full teaching credentials.
- The board approved a resolution to prepay $200,000 on the $4,970,000 General Obligation Refunding Bonds, Series 2021. This prepayment, scheduled for March 1, 2026, is expected to save the district $21,000 in future interest expenses.
- The board also approved funding to cover ACT test fees for sophomores, juniors, and seniors, facilitating two district ACT testing opportunities each year at Princeton High School.
Closed Session
The board entered a closed session at 6:10 p.m., pursuant to R.S.M.O. 610.021, covering topics including leasing, purchasing or selling real estate, hiring, firing, disciplining employees, and reviewing records protected from disclosure by law. The board returned to open session at 6:20 p.m.
Announcements from the closed session included:
- The hiring of Theresa Delameter as a cook.
- The hiring of Mikayli Purvis as an elementary paraprofessional.
- The resignation of Ms. Puls from her extra duty with the Elementary Student Council.
- The hiring of Ms. Fitzpatrick for the extra duty role with the Elementary Student Council.
