Principal Erica Haggard says even the new workout room weights are a source of pride for Banschbach Jaguar athletes. Bob Wieland/Princeton Herald

Standing in the bright commons of Princeton ISD’s newest middle school, Principal Erica Haggard looked past the unfinished details and imagined what the building would soon become: a place where students are challenged academically, encouraged to discover new interests and welcomed into a culture built intentionally from the ground up.

“Building a good culture is really important,” Haggard said during a recent tour of the new campus. “Our kids get that culture from the staff, so we want to build that early and convey it to the students when they come in. We want them to have respect and a willingness to learn, and that starts with the culture we create.”

Those ideas will be put to the test Aug. 12, when Banschbach Middle School opens its doors for the first time. The campus is expected to welcome just under 600 sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students, primarily from Mattei Middle School, with additional students from Clark and Southard as Princeton ISD continues to adjust attendance boundaries to keep pace with rapid enrollment growth.

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