The Princeton R-5 Board of Education on February 14th approved the 2022-2023 school calendar and changed school hours.
The first day of school will be August 23rd, and the last day is scheduled for May 19th, 2023. Snow days are built into the calendar that totals 1,109 hours.
For the 2022-2023 school year, the day will begin at 8 o’clock and end at 3 o’clock. The current school day is from 8:15 to 3:15.
The board was presented information on the possibility of increasing the teacher base salary for next school year. A proposal for a $1,000 or a $2,000 base increase was reviewed.
Princeton R-5 is working with multiple grants that will total more than $340,000 in funding to purchase an electric school bus. It was already awarded a VW Grant for $200,000 for the purchase.
A land disturbance permit was approved, and the city will relocate a sewer line prior to construction of the relocation of the softball and baseball fields. It is anticipated construction will begin this summer once the relocation of the sewer line is completed. The Federal Land, Water, and Conservation Fund Grant administered by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources received approval this fall. The Princeton Ball Association, City of Princeton, and Princeton R-5 School District are working together to relocate the fields.
It is anticipated the board will vote at the March 14th meeting on a proposal for Princeton R-5 to apply to participate in the West Division of the Grand River Conference and move to an eight-man football program. The information shows a downward trend of student enrollment at Princeton.
During public participation, concerns were shared with the board about the quality and quantity of the school lunch program. Some community members supported the MoBeef for Mo Kids Program. The program connects school cafeterias and cattle farmers to “beef” up school lunches.
It was reported MoBeef for MoKids has a lot of moving parts, and the school must find donors, processing, storage, and logistics. Processing is completed at a United States Department of Agriculture-approved facility.
Princeton R-5 is looking for sponsors for the program. Anyone interested in becoming a sponsor is asked to contact the school.
Concern was shared about possible hazardous road conditions due to a lack of daylight if the move to an 8 o’clock start time was approved.
A community member wanted the district to remain as an 11-man football school and not change to eight-man football.
Multiple announcements were made after a closed session.
Contract extensions were approved for Superintendent Jerry Girdner and Junior High and High School Principal Brent Mitchell. Girdner’s contract will be for the 2022-2023, 2023-2024, and 2024-2025 school years. Mitchell’s contract will be for the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years. Salary will be determined after the board evaluates the upcoming budget.
The board approved extra duty resignations from Junior High Softball Coach Damon Collins and Junior High Basketball Coach Brent Mitchell.
An extra duty contract was approved for Ashley Moore for boy’s golf for the 2021-2022 school year.
Mike Tipton was hired to serve as a high school science teacher for the remainder of this school year.
Dale Bagley was hired as junior high and high school English teacher, Kevin Becker as a junior high and high school math teacher, and Kaylee Parmer for fourth through sixth grades language arts and spelling. Their hirings were for the 2022-2023 school year.
