Communications
November 5, 2024 Operating Levy Fails
Voters Reject Princeton Levy
The Princeton City School District faces $10.6 million in cuts and reductions after voters rejected a 5.00-mill operating levy on November 5 that would have provided additional funding to Princeton City Schools for operating expenses.
“Cuts hurt our schools, our students, and our community. The failure of this levy has jeopardized the fiscal stability of our schools and places our district at a financial cliff with millions in reductions that will now have to be made,” said Jon Simons, president of the Princeton Board of Education. “The passage of this levy would have provided important funding to the day-to-day work of our teachers and schools. This levy was vital to Princeton City Schools; it would have protected the investment we have all made in our children, schools, and community.”
Princeton’s last operating levy was passed in 2019 with the expectation to return to the ballot for a levy in 2022. The timeframe has been stretched to last two years longer than expected due to cost savings from COVID-related ESSER and Emergency Connectivity Funding.
“We kept our commitment to stretch the last levy for as long as possible while remaining fiscally responsible,” said G. Elgin Card, superintendent. “It is very unfortunate that this levy did not pass, as it will be a great challenge to reconcile the critical day-to-day needs we face in our schools without compromising the high-quality educational experience that our children deserve.”
According to Board of Election results, Tuesday’s vote broke down as follows:
Hamilton County: 51.2% Against, 48.8% For
Butler County: 56.60% Against, 43.40% For
Warren County: 56.76% Against, 43.24% For
“Regardless of this outcome, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to the volunteers who dedicated countless hours to ensuring that our community was informed about the facts facing our schools,” continued Card. “While disappointed with the result, we are incredibly appreciative of their efforts, and we will seek to better understand why we were not successful.”
Card said that the district’s needs do not go away with failure, and the board will soon begin to review and prepare to make necessary cuts and reductions. “I want to assure our families that we will continue to make every decision with the best interest of our students in mind. We simply cannot have what we cannot afford. Cuts and reductions will have a significant impact on the academic programming of our school district.”
We are pleased to share Princeton City School District’s 2023-2024 Quality Profile with you and the Princeton community. The Quality Profile and the annual State of the Schools Address are designed to provide you with more information about the Princeton City Schools, including the opportunities Princeton provides to allow for a well-rounded, personalized education pathway for each student.
Our mission statement is: “Empowering each student for college, career, and life success,” which we do each and every day. The overall educational Princeton Advantage is much more than a one-day snapshot or a test score. We hold high standards for excellence in each of our schools. Creativity, durable professional skills, growth mindset, and critical thinking drive our daily work with students. We are focused on helping to develop this generation of passionate leaders and innovative global citizens.
Thank you for your ongoing support of our District.
October 1, 2024
Dear Princeton Community:
We want to find out how parents, teachers, and people who live in our school district like to get news about Princeton City Schools. This survey will help us gauge the effectiveness of our communications in sharing what's happening in our school district.
Please keep in mind that the survey is specifically designed to gather feedback about district-level communications, as opposed to individual school or teacher communications. When you answer the questions, think about how the whole school district talks to you, not just your child's school or teacher.
We'll use what we learn to better share news about our schools with everyone.
The results will help us to continue improving our communication efforts and keep our community well-informed about Princeton City Schools.
The survey will open on October 1 and close at 11:45 p.m. on October 31, 2024. Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We appreciate your input!
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1 de octubre de 2024
Estimada comunidad de Princeton:
Queremos saber cómo les gusta a los padres, maestros y personas que viven en nuestro distrito escolar recibir noticias sobre las escuelas de la ciudad de Princeton. Esta encuesta nos ayudará a medir la efectividad de nuestras comunicaciones para compartir lo que está sucediendo en nuestro distrito escolar.
Tenga en cuenta que la encuesta está diseñada específicamente para recopilar comentarios sobre las comunicaciones a nivel del distrito, a diferencia de las comunicaciones individuales de la escuela o el maestro. Cuando responda a las preguntas, piense en cómo le habla todo el distrito escolar, no solo la escuela o el maestro de su hijo.
Usaremos lo que aprendamos para compartir mejor las noticias sobre nuestras escuelas con todos.
Los resultados nos ayudarán a continuar mejorando nuestros esfuerzos de comunicación y a mantener a nuestra comunidad bien informada sobre las escuelas de la ciudad de Princeton.
La encuesta se abrirá el 1 de octubre y se cerrará a las 11:45 p.m. del 31 de octubre de 2024. Gracias por tomarse el tiempo de compartir sus comentarios. ¡Agradecemos su aportación!
Princeton City School District's State Report Card
Significantly Exceeds in Progress
Princeton City Schools proudly announces the release of the 2024 Ohio School Report Card, which showcases the remarkable achievements and progress of the district's educational institutions. The report card evaluates school performance using a five-star rating system in half-star increments, with five stars representing the highest performance and one star indicating the lowest. Princeton City Schools is proud to report that it has again surpassed state standards, earning an impressive 4-star overall rating.
The 2024 Princeton City School District Report Card reflects the following star ratings:
Overall - 4 Stars, Exceeds State Standards
Academic Achievement - 3 Stars, Meets State Standards
Progress - 5 Stars, Significant Evidence that the District Exceeded Student Growth Expectations by a Large Magnitude
Gap Closing - 4 Stars, Exceeds State Standards in Closing Education Gaps
Early Literacy (K-3) - 2 Stars, Needs Support to Meet State Standards
Graduation Rates - 3 Stars, Meets State Standards
This comprehensive report card comprises five essential components, each contributing to the district's overall rating. Notably, Princeton City School District's report card shows strong overall performance, earning 4 Stars and exceeding state standards. The district excels in Progress, achieving 5 Stars with significant evidence of exceeding student growth expectations by a large margin. Gap Closing also stands out with 4 Stars, surpassing state standards in reducing education gaps. Academic Achievement and Graduation Rates both meet state standards with 3 Stars each. However, Early Literacy (K-3) received 2 Stars, indicating a need for support to meet state benchmarks in this area. This comprehensive assessment reflects the district's strengths and areas for improvement across five key educational components.
“Our teachers continue to make great strides in building reading skills for students, and we believe we have the opportunity to continue improving in this area once all schools in Ohio become fully aligned with the Science of Reading,” said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. “We know the Science of Reading works because we know now exactly how the brain learns to read. This is especially important for our young children, because the earlier they are able to master reading, the better positioned they will be for success in every subject throughout their education.”
Under the leadership of Governor DeWine, DEW is carrying out a number of statewide initiatives to raise literacy achievement. Through significant state investments, including Governor DeWine’s ReadOhio initiative, more schools are using high-quality instructional materials aligned with the Science of Reading.
For the second consecutive year, Springdale Elementary School earned an overall 5 Star rating, and Princeton High School earned 4.5 Stars. The high school earned 5 Stars in the areas of Progress, Gap Closing, and Graduation.
The Graduation Component measures the four-year and five-year adjusted cohort graduation rates. While the district earned 3 Stars in 2023, with a 90% graduation rate, the 2024 report card reflects 5 Stars with a 97.6% four-year graduation rate and 95.5% five-year graduation rate. The weighted graduation rate for Princeton High School is 96.8%.
"We are immensely proud of Princeton City Schools' performance on the 2024 Ohio School Report Card. Our 4-star overall rating, exceeding state standards, reflects the dedication of our entire educational community. Our 5-star rating in Progress for the third consecutive year is particularly noteworthy, demonstrating our commitment to fostering exceptional student growth,” reports Superintendent G. Elgin Card.
“While we celebrate our achievements in areas like Gap Closing and improved Graduation Rates, we also recognize the opportunity for growth in Early Literacy. We're committed to addressing this challenge head-on, aligning with statewide initiatives like the Science of Reading. I invite our community to join us at our State of the Schools event on September 25th to learn more about our successes and our plans for continued improvement."
Princeton City Schools encourages parents, neighbors, students, and graduates to explore various avenues for evaluating the quality of education provided. While the Ohio School Report Cards offer valuable insights, the district encourages engagement with its schools through visiting, attending events, and participating in community gatherings. These interactions provide a holistic understanding of Princeton's mission to "Empower each student for college, career, and life success."
Everyone plays a role in the success of Ohio schools. Community members are encouraged to learn what’s happening in their local schools. All stakeholders are invited to learn more at Princeton’s annual State of the Schools event on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, at Viking Village, 150 Viking Way, Cincinnati, Ohio. From 6:00-7:00 PM, there will be a student showcase. At 7:15 PM, Superintendent G. Elgin Card and Treasurer Chris Poetter will present the State of the Schools Address in Matthews Auditorium.
For those seeking a more detailed understanding of the report card's components and ratings, the "Guide to the 2023-2024 Ohio School Report Cards" offers an overview and explanation of key elements. To access the ratings and data for your district or school, please visit reportcard.education.ohio.gov.
Inclement Weather Procedures 2024-2025 School Year
Dear Princeton Families,
Schools are sometimes faced with the decision to delay or close school due to inclement weather, so please carefully read the following methods of communication and procedures for school delays/closings in Princeton:
All Call Phone/Text Notification Via ThrillShare The ThrillShare communication system incorporates parent/guardianship contact information in Final Forms with the Princeton City School District. We will send you a test phone call from Princeton City Schools on October 16th. If you don’t receive a phone call from Princeton on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, please contact the building where
your child attends school to ensure they have the latest contact information on file. Parents/legal guardians are required to update their contact information when it changes. Additional phone numbers and/or e-mail addresses can be added by contacting your child’s school to update your information on file.
If you want to receive a text message, please ensure that the school has your cell phone number on file. If you receive the text message and DO NOT want to receive any more from Princeton, you can reply STOP to the message and choose to Opt-Out of all further messages by text.
Media Alerts Major media stations will be contacted in the event of a delay and/or closing.
District Web Site www.princetonschools.net
Social Media Channels @PCSDViking @pcsdvikings
Kindergarten/Preschool Kindergarten is compulsory attendance in Ohio; pre-kindergarten programs are not subject to compulsory attendance in Ohio. To ensure that all kindergarten students have equitable access to instructional time, the Princeton City School District will implement the following procedures during two-hour delays:
A.M. Kindergarten students will be transported to school following the two-hour delay schedule. These students will stay at school for the full day. Kindergarten students will be transported home following the afternoon/full-day dismissal schedule. Half-day students may participate in the school lunch program or bring lunch to eat in the cafeteria. Free and reduced lunch applications are available if you believe your family qualifies. Please e-mail Jean Sparks, Director of Food Service, at jsparks@vikingmail.org to obtain application material or contact the Princeton Food Service Department at 513-864-1023. Otherwise, the cost of a student lunch is $2.25.
*Please note: On a 2-hour delay, breakfast is not provided.
P.M. kindergarten and P.M. preschool students will have no change in the schedule during a two-hour delay.
A.M. preschool classes will be canceled during days with a two-hour delay.
Innovation Center Students will still be expected to log in and work on their courses. If there is a two-hour delay, the Innovation Center will be closed, but students will be expected to log in and work from home. In case of Early Release, students will be transported to the main campus for their assigned bus back to the community at the amended time.
Extracurricular/Sports Activities
Unless otherwise notified, district policies/guidelines will be followed for extracurricular activities/sports.
Extended Day Program Champions through Kindercare Education currently operates the Princeton Extended Day Program. LHOI currently operates the Extended Day Program for Lincoln Heights Elementary. Below are specifics for parents currently participating in the Champions and LHOI programs.
Two-Hour Delay: The buildings will be open at 8:00 a.m. until the start of school (delayed time) at no additional charge. If we close after the delay is implemented, parents will be responsible for picking up and transporting their children to another location for the day within one hour of being notified. On a two-hour delay, breakfast is not available.
School Closing: If school is completely closed, the Champions and LHOI programs will close as well. Parents will be responsible for finding alternative childcare.
Sincerely,
G. Elgin Card
Superintendent
A parent/guardian meeting will be held at each elementary building from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
You can complete registration via Final Forms, if you upload all of your documentation.
The Welcome Center/ Central Registration Office is located at:
3900 Cottingham Drive
Cincinnati, OH 45241
Tricia Roddy
Director of Communications
(513) 864-1093
