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Referendum Information

 

Dear Caregivers & Parents,

The first month of the school year is in the books, and as always it seems to have flown by! The reconfigured elementary and middle schools have done an excellent job establishing daily routines, and students are in the groove of learning new skills and gaining new subject-matter knowledge each day. October is all about keeping the excitement of the beginning of the school year and building daily knowledge on the content learned in previous weeks. As October advances, please note two calendar items. First, there will be an early release on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, and second, there will be no classes on Friday, October 30^th. This will provide students and staff with an opportunity for a well-deserved three-day weekend.

2026-27 SCHOOL GOALS

At the Monday, September 28, 2026, Board of Education meeting, building principals presented their buildings' academic goals. The goals were based on last year’s assessment data and aim to build on last year’s positive academic results, as well as address areas that need greater attention this school year. The goals were developed with significant teacher input, as teachers are on the front line of developing each student’s academic skills in the classroom. As expected, reading and mathematics are two key subject areas that weigh heavily in the goal-making process. Additionally, the district is looking to achieve two things each school year. The first is for all students to demonstrate proficiency in academic materials, and the second is to ensure all students are growing academically. Please see the corresponding article detailing the goals each building has set for the current academic school year. In most cases, the district conducts ongoing assessments to gauge the growth students are making throughout the school year. Specifically, at the elementary and middle schools, parents will receive ongoing progress updates regarding their child’s academic growth. If you would like to learn more about your child’s academic growth at any time during the year, please reach out to their classroom teachers. Our staff can break down each student’s strengths and the areas they need to improve.

REFERENDUM & ENROLLMENT UPDATES

If you follow the district on social media, you know the district is hosting informational presentations on the operating referendum question on the ballot for Tuesday, November 3, 2026. The question asks the electorate for $1.8 million, compared to $2.4 million last April, when the measure was defeated. Since last April, the district has scaled back services, including consolidating the two elementary schools into Wisconsin Dells Elementary. As a result, the tax impact would see the mill rate fall from $6.11 for every $1,000 of assessed value to $5.82 in the fall of 2026, assuming the measure passes. Thus, if an owner’s property value has not increased, their real estate taxes will go down. This is because there continues to be a robust amount of new construction taking place within the school district over the past year. Additionally, this trend continues to look to have a positive outlook as we look ahead to 2027. New construction creates new taxing authority, which is a primary factor in driving down the mill rate, which is again dropping by just under five percent in 2026.

Lastly, the district finalized its pupil count in September and sees a slight increase in the overall attending head count, up by 19 students. Additionally, the district has turned the tide from a deficit of 120 students leaving the district via the open enrollment process in 2018 to, eight years later, an open enrollment surplus of 52 students entering the district. This year, this will account for just under $575,000 of revenue to the district, as each open enrollment student carries a value of $11,035 in the 2026-27 school year. Regular feedback from those enrolling in the district is that our student programming for educational services is desirable, whether it's academic or career & technical education. Additionally, programming opportunities for clubs, education-based athletics, and scholarship opportunities at the high school level continue to draw families whose previous districts have significantly reduced service levels due to failed referendums. I encourage community members to attend one of the four remaining informational referendum meetings listed below.

UPCOMING REFERENDUM MEETING DATES

CLOSING THOUGHTS

The last item that I wish to touch base on is the district’s commitment to regularly monitoring classroom instruction to ensure high-quality lessons are being delivered daily. Through a series of short 15-minute observations, our principals can capture teaching and student learning in action nearly daily. Principals then give each staff member feedback on what they observed, using this feedback as a continuous improvement cycle aligned with the district’s strategic plan. This process has improved the instruction our students receive and has helped the district meet or exceed academic goals on student assessments, as well as school report cards issued by DPI.

In closing, as I typically do, please allow me to close out this newsletter article by saying thank you for the opportunity to serve our community’s children, for they are both our highest priority, and it is a privilege to do so.

Let's all have a great school year!

Terrance Slack, District Administrator