The newest Frisco ISD elementary and high school can now be referred to by their official names.

At February’s regular Board meeting, trustees agreed to name the campuses Buddy and Joni Minett Elementary School and Panther Creek High School based on the recommendation of the FISD school naming committee. The naming committee is made up of several community members and considered many names for the new campuses.

The schools will open in the fall of 2022, with attendance zones established this fall.

Panther Creek High School

Part of the 2018 bond program, Panther Creek High School is currently under construction at the northeast of Teel Parkway and Dakotah Road, adjacent to the future PGA headquarters and golf courses. 

Panther Creek High is named for the creek that will border the campus property. Panther Creek, a tributary of Lake Lewisville, was most likely named because of a panther killed on or near its banks. No panthers have been spotted on the creek or near the anticipated campus recently.

The portion of Panther Creek near the Denton/Collin county line was the site of the Bates Settlement, also called the Kentucky Settlement, as all the people that settled the land immigrated from Kentucky in the 1850s. 

The creek provided fresh water for the settlers and possibly the Caddo Native Americans who traveled through the region. The settlement's founder, Rev. William Bates, is credited with bringing Methodism to North Texas. All that is left of the Bates community is Zion Cemetery, which is located along FM 423 just north of Panther Creek Parkway.

Panther Creek High School will open in 2022 with students in grades 9-11. With the addition of this campus, Frisco ISD will be able to continue its student opportunity model, keeping high schools at an enrollment level where more students have the opportunity to be successful and involved with their campus.

Buddy and Joni Minett Elementary School

Buddy and Joni Minett Elementary will be constructed northeast of FM 423 and Rockhill Parkway on a site adjacent to the Somerset Park and Hollyhock subdivisions.

Part of the 2014 bond program, Minett Elementary will relieve nearby elementary schools in the growing northwest corner of the school district, which has seen increases in enrollment as new homes are built in the area.

Minett Elementary is named for two exemplary servant leaders who have left an indelible stamp on the Frisco community.

Buddy has a long-standing record with the Frisco community since moving here in 1982 and has served in numerous public roles. He held a position on the Frisco City Council for six years and was Deputy Mayor Pro-Tem and Mayor Pro-Tem. He also served on several committees, including the Planning and Zoning Commission for four years.

He also received the Frisco Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year Award in 2006 and the Spirit of Frisco Award in 2013.

Buddy was also a Frisco ISD School Board member for eight years during a time of great growth in the District. While serving as Board president for three years, he was dedicated to maximizing collaboration and resources to meet community goals. He knew that a strong City and District partnership would shape the future of the District for all children, including his five daughters who all eventually graduated from Frisco High School.

After leaving the Board, Buddy continued to advocate for the District in numerous ways including as co-chair of the 2014 Citizens Bond Committee for FISD. 

He continues to work for the betterment of the Frisco community and has served as President of the Heritage Association of Frisco. He has served as a co-chair for the Shawnee Trail Cowboy Day Festival and plans the annual Frisco Community Parade with the help of his wife Joni.

Joni is a second-generation Frisco High School graduate and helped her parents (Sonny and Joanne McSpedden) throughout her youth with parade floats for the annual Frisco Homecoming Parade which eventually evolved into the Frisco Community Parade. She has participated in the parade in various capacities for more than four decades.

She served as a secretary from 1986-91 in the superintendent’s office while Dr. Justin Wakeland was superintendent and has a PTA Lifetime Membership. As an avid Frisco ISD parent, she volunteered at every opportunity and sat on numerous committees.

Joni was honored as a Spirit of Frisco Award recipient by the Chamber of Commerce in 2004. 

She consistently exemplifies love, dedication, commitment and sincerity towards her city and fellow citizens. Joni continues to serve on several committees in the community and is a fervent supporter of the Frisco Education Foundation.