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SDWD is currently accepting applications for open enrollment for the 2025-26 school year. Please visit DPI for more information and to print the application. You can direct any questions to Tiffany Clary at tclary@sdwd.k12.wi.us
Come drive with us!!
SDWD is hiring bus drivers for AM/PM routes, AM routes, PM routes, sports trips, or substitute drivers! Sign-on bonus, no experience necessary, paid in-house training!
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FEBRUARY 2026
Dear School District of Wisconsin Dells Community Members,
Before I get too far into this February newsletter article, I wish to extend a big thank you to our custodial & maintenance staff, along with members of the transportation department, for keeping everything in good operating condition during the recent January cold spell. Our staff members' attention to detail helped ensure the district could keep students in the classroom. Thank you for your dedicated efforts!
To date, the school district has missed just two full days of instruction due to inclement weather. As a reminder, there will be no classes on Friday, February 27, 2026. Enjoy a well-deserved three-day weekend!
APRIL 2026 OPERATING REFERENDUM QUESTION APPROVED
For the past four years, including the current school year, the district has been operating with the assistance of a non-recurring operational referendum. As the current referendum expires with the completion of the current school year, the district has projected its future finances, and recently, the board of education has adopted a resolution to pursue a three-year non-recurring referendum in the amount of $2.4 million annually through the conclusion of the 2028-29 school year.
This April referendum is critical to our ability to continue providing the high-quality educational experience our community expects and our students deserve. Nearly all school districts across Wisconsin are facing ongoing financial challenges driven by rising costs and limited state funding. Approval of this referendum would allow the district to maintain academic programs, protect educational opportunities for students, and continue investing in the staff, resources, and supports that help our students succeed.
Since 1993, individual school districts in Wisconsin have been held to a revenue limit that caps the amount each can receive from state aid and local property taxes. Revenue limits can be influenced by factors beyond a district’s control, including enrollment and inflation.
State aid to public schools has also failed to keep up with inflation for decades. If state financial support had kept pace with inflation since 2009, school districts like SDWD would receive about $3,500 more per student annually.
SDWD faces projected annual budget deficits through the 2028-29 school year that average more than $2.4 million. Without an approved operational referendum, district officials will need to consider budget cuts. This could include reducing staff, increasing class sizes, and eliminating some academic programs and extracurricular activities, among others.
The district has already taken steps to reduce spending. Lake Delton Elementary School will close at the end of the current school year, providing nearly $385,000 in cost savings.
An approved referendum in April would result in an estimated mill rate of $6.10 in the fall of 2026, compared to a 2025 mill rate of $6.11. This is based on an estimate that property values will increase by 4.0% in 2026.
Operational referendums are a common funding tool statewide, with about 87 percent of districts attempting one in the past 33 years. More than half of Wisconsin's school districts received voter approval to exceed their revenue limits in the past decade.
In closing, I invite you to check out an after-school activity, whether it be an athletic contest or a fine arts program. There is a lot of good work taking place by our students and staff. Please allow me to close out this newsletter by saying thank you for the opportunity to serve the children of our community! For they are our highest priority, and it is our privilege to do so!
Have a great month!
2024-25 Wisconsin DPI School and District Report Card