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Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Lake Delton Elementary Open House. Walking through those halls together one last time was incredibly special.
From laughing over old photos to sharing unforgettable stories, it was the perfect way to bid farewell to a building that has given this community so much. To all the former students, staff, and families who made it out: thank you for bringing your memories, your laughs, and your love for Lake Delton.
The building may be closing its doors, but the memories we all made here will last forever.
Applications for open enrollment will be available beginning July 1, 2026. Information can be found online at DPI Open Enrollment. 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!
Dear Caregivers & Parents,
Welcome to the end of the 2025-26 school year edition of our monthly e-newsletter. My article will focus primarily on a recap of the 2025-26 school year, with many highlights to celebrate. Most recently, the district held its annual graduation ceremony, where 140 members of the class of 2026 received their diplomas, officially ending their public-school journey with the School District of Wisconsin Dells. Congratulations to all the graduates who successfully reached this milestone. Later in the newsletter, you can check out the speeches our graduation speakers presented, as each student absolutely crushed their messages to their peers and guests! Lastly, I would be remiss if I did not express my gratitude to all of our elementary, middle, and high school staff members who helped develop the graduates of the class of 2026. Your consistent daily efforts have helped develop our future adults. It was great to see such a nice cross-section of elementary, middle, and high school staff members present at the graduation ceremony.
THE END of an ERA for LAKE DELTON ELEMENTARY
On Thursday, June 4, 2026, the final school bell rang at Lake Delton Elementary. It was certainly a bittersweet moment, as next year, students in grades 4K through fourth will be educated at the recently renamed Wisconsin Dells Elementary School (formerly Spring Hill). On Wednesday, May 27th, the LDES staff held one last open house for those who have attended this neighborhood school, and an estimated 250 people took one last stroll down memory lane. What a great showing! Shortly after the 4th of July, the building will be demolished. There has been an inquiry from people who want to salvage a brick from this school, and we will make every effort to see this happen. This information will be shared via our social media channels. While it is always hard to see schools close, the land will become property of the Village of Lake Delton, and I am sure they have good plans for its future. Lastly, I wish to commend our LDES staff who went above and beyond this school year to ensure all students experience success in the classroom. Your efforts were spot on!
RECOGNITION OF SERVICE & MILESTONES
Additionally, with the end of the school year and the release of students for the summer recess, it also means the district takes some time to recognize its employees for achieving various milestones, as well as recognizing a number of employees who have elected to retire at the end of the school year or will do so later this summer before the next school year resumes. On behalf of the district, we wish to recognize the following length-of-service milestones reached by several of our employees.
10 Years of Service:
Roana Bacon, Denise Crosby-Ruskosky, Monica Gavinski, Kathy Knetter,
Laura Loomis, John O’Leary, Eric Olson, Mary Popp, Raeann Schulz, Scott Walsh
20 Years of Service:
Clayton Berka, Margaret Crowley, Todd Hartman, Deanna
Koehler-Holst, Trevor Ruff, Lori Sveum.
25 Years of Service:
Suzanne Delmore, Anne Emerson, Dean Knetter, Jeffrey Sanford
Recognition of Retirements:
Mary Lange, 9 years with the SDWD, 34 years of teaching service
Greg Huber has 16 years of service with the SDWD
Kristin Hirst, 23 years with the SDWD, 35 years of teaching service
William Tofson, 32 years of service with the SDWD
Karen Brooks, 37 years of service with the SDWD
Congratulations to all those being recognized for reaching their various years of service. We thank you for your continued efforts on behalf of the youth in our community!
A PREVIEW OF THE 2026-27 SCHOOL YEAR
As we look ahead to the 2026-27 school year, a couple of our schools will be reconfigured to serve students. This is due to financial constraints imposed on the district by continued decreases in state funding. Specifically, WDES will serve all students in grades 4K through fourth grade, serving approximately 640 students. One final carryover project from last summer is the installation of new playground equipment at WDES. This will be a great addition, as we saw how much middle school students used their new equipment this past school year! WDMS will serve students in grades 5th through 8th, with an estimated enrollment of 533, and WDHS will have an anticipated enrollment of 527 students. Additionally, take note that Tuesday, September 1, 2026, is the first scheduled day of classes, and as this date approaches, more details will be forthcoming. Finally, as I write this end-of-year article, the district has just approved new safety/security software that will integrate with our security cameras at all schools and include a weapon detection system. As the beginning of next year approaches, more information will be shared on this subject.
In closing, the district and its students have had a great school year on many levels. As such, 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 summer break, everyone!
Respectfully submitted,
Terrance Slack, District Administrator
2024-25 Wisconsin DPI School and District Report Card