Crivitz High School named Wisconsin Blue Ribbon School

CRIVITZ – At the Crivitz School Board’s Nov. 19 meeting, Superintendent Kelly Robinson announced that Crivitz High School had been chosen as a Blue Ribbon School by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) for closing achievement gaps for students.

Following a nomination from the Wisconsin DPI came a months-long application process detailing and documenting school programs and student success.

A 12-page essay was written outlining the school’s strategies and outcomes, then staff and leadership had to gather and verify large amounts of data.

The effort involved collective contributions and perseverance from administration, teachers and support staff.

Robinson said that it is very difficult for a high school to achieve the award.

Of the eight schools awarded by the state, Crivitz was the only high school.

The criteria for the award focuses on closing achievement gaps among student groups — such as students with disabilities and those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Achieving significant progress across diverse high school populations is complex and requires sustained, targeted effort.

Robinson continued, saying that the Crivitz School District winning the award is significant because it validates the district’s efforts to ensure all students, regardless of background or abilities, can achieve at high levels.

In additional achievement related news, the district also scored well on its Wisconsin state report card, the highest in the CESA 8 region.

With an overall score of 75.9, “Exceeds Expectations” and a 0.8 point increase from the previous year, improvements were noted in achievement and target group outcomes.

The elementary and high schools each achieved “Exceeds Expectations” scores of 80.9 while the middle school achieved a “Meets Expectations” at 65.7.

The high school was recognized for the students earning industry-recognized credentials – 28.5% of students compared to a state average of 5.5%.

In other business, the board voted to accept the annual audit report.

The district received a clean, unmodified audit report on its financial statements, this means the financial records were found to be accurate and compliant with accounting standards.

There were also no compliance findings related to the federal single audit, which was required because the district spent over $750,000 in federal funds during the year.

The only internal control findings were that the district relies on the audit firm to prepare its financial reports, but that is common for districts the size of Crivitz.

Also, it was stated that there is a lack of segregation of duties, meaning that there are not enough people handling financial tasks to provide ideal checks and balances — which is again common for a district of this size.

The audit confirmed a healthy general fund balance of $4.6 million as of June 30, 2025, which translates into 36.33% of annual expenditures that puts the district into a strong position exceeding recommended guidelines.

In summary, the audit found the district’s financial statements to be accurate, federally compliant, and the only noted deficiencies are minor and typical for a district this size. The district’s financial health is strong.

The board approved participation in a community education STEP program.

The Senior Tax Exchange Program (STEP) takes district residents aged 62 or older that are receiving Social Security or Medicare and provides employment opportunities, including tasks like reading to students, assisting in the library, tutoring, preparing bulletin boards, helping in the lunchroom or similar activities.

Instead of direct pay, volunteers receive a property tax credit at a rate of $7.25 per volunteer hour which is applied directly to reduce their local property taxes.

The district pays the corresponding amount to the municipality, which then credits the volunteer’s property tax bill.

The district sets limits both on the number of participants and the total benefit available each year.

The program is funded through the Community Education fund, which also supports other community enrichment activities.

Finally, among several minor policy changes, the board approved requiring all those who wish to participate during the public comment period of the board meeting to sign up before the start of the meeting.