Princeton ISD leader Carol Bodwell dies, leaves lasting CTE legacy

Carol Bodwell, who served on the Princeton Independent School District board for 33 years and was board president beginning in 2002, died on December 9 following a lengthy illness. She was 80. Bodwell played a central role in expanding the district's Career and Technical Education program, a transformation that led the district to dedicate its CTE Center in her honor in 2014. Funeral arrangements were pending at the time of publication.

Bodwell's tenure spanned more than three decades of district growth and shifting educational priorities. Her leadership on the board focused on building hands on learning pathways that connected high school programs to career opportunities. Under her guidance the district substantially increased the scope of vocational and technical offerings, enhancing options for students seeking direct entry into the workforce as well as those preparing for further education.

The impact of the program changes is widely felt in Princeton and across Collin County. Career and technical education courses give students training in fields from trades to technology, aligning school curriculum with employer needs and helping local businesses find trained entry level workers. Former Princeton ISD superintendent Phil Anthony and current superintendent Donald McIntyre praised Bodwell for her long service and the enduring benefits her work delivered for students and the community.

Bodwell's name on the PISD CTE Center stands as a visible reminder of her priorities for practical learning and workforce readiness. School leaders and community members point to the center as a resource that helps bridge classroom skills and local labor market demands, an increasingly important function as Collin County continues to develop economically.

Her passing leaves a vacancy in a seat shaped by decades of experience and institutional knowledge. School officials will address trustee matters through established district procedures. In the near term families, educators and employers in Princeton are remembering Bodwell for her commitment to student opportunity and for building programs that aim to sustain the local economy by preparing the next generation of workers.