Hello Princeton

Dear Princeton Community,

As we continue to look toward the future of the Princeton School District, the Board of Education has taken a proactive step by engaging Nexus Solutions, a PK-12 facilities consultant. Nexus Solutions partners with school districts across Wisconsin to provide expertise for facility planning, funding strategies, design and construction management. We are in the preliminary stages of exploring the possibility of a capital and operational referendum for November 2026 to address our needs.

It is important to emphasize that no decisions have been made regarding potential future projects or funding. However, because the term “referendum” is central to our planning process, you will likely hear it used frequently in the coming months. We believe it is essential that every community member understands what the two distinct types of referendums entail.

Understanding Referendums

Schools in Wisconsin operate under state-imposed revenue limits. When a district determines that its long-term needs exceed those limits, it may ask the community to approve a referendum to authorize additional funding.

  • Operational Referendum: This allows a school district to exceed state-imposed revenue limits to fund day-to-day operations. This includes essential costs such as staff salaries, utilities, educational programming, and ongoing maintenance.

  • Capital Referendum: This authorizes a school district to issue bonds to finance specific capital projects. This generally includes building construction, additions, major renovations, land acquisition, and the purchase of significant equipment that cannot be funded by usual annual operating funds.

Why Are We Exploring This?

Since 2021, the District has been engaged in a comprehensive process to evaluate our facilities and our future. This work included a detailed assessment of our aging infrastructure and a review of our learning environments to ensure they meet modern educational needs.

Feedback from these assessments identified critical needs across several key areas:

  • Safety, Security, and Accessibility: Enhancements to protect our students and staff.

  • Building Infrastructure: Addressing the "building envelope" (roofs, walls, windows), plumbing, bathrooms, and our HVAC systems.

  • Facility Improvements: Updates to our cafeteria, kitchen, and the school PA system.

Our Commitment to Fiscal Responsibility

These discussions are taking place alongside our ongoing efforts to strengthen our district’s position, including:

  • Implementing Full-Day 4K to encourage enrollment.

  • Expanding high school college-level course offerings.

  • Improving our Academic and Career Planning (ACP) programming.

  • Reducing classroom budgets to demonstrate fiscal stewardship.

Next Steps and Community Input

Our goal is to ensure that our district is school-ready for the generations of students graduating from our district starting in 4K. Our building has needs that will need to be addressed, a referendum will ensure the building is safe and secure for students for future generations.

We are committed to transparency throughout this process. In the coming weeks and months, you may be contacted by a professional school survey company to participate in a community-wide phone survey. If you receive a call, we encourage you to participate; your voice will be heard and will directly help the Princeton School Board and administration make informed decisions to improve our district.

We will also provide ongoing updates through the District website, social media, surveys, and upcoming opportunities for community members to tour our facilities and ask questions directly.

This is an exciting time for our district as we strive to provide the best possible opportunities for the students of Princeton. We look forward to engaging with you as we shape this long-term facility plan.

Sincerely,

Timothy J. Brown
District Administrator

Princeton School District