Wausaukee School District brings operational referendum to voter

Jared Deschane

Wausaukee High school principal and district administrator

Dear School District of Wausaukee community members,

The School District of Wausaukee works hard to serve every student, every day, by offering small class sizes, a wide range of course offerings and access to many clubs and activities. Our staff is dedicated to working with our students, and we are incredibly appreciative of the community support we have always received.
In 2008, our community supported and passed a 10-year referendum for our district. We are fortunate that we have been able to make that referendum last for 18 years.

However, the time has come when we need your support once again.

On Aug. 12, the Wausaukee School District Board of Education voted on a resolution to place a non-recurring operational referendum on the ballot for Nov. 3.

With the Nov. 3 election less than two months away, the district is asking taxpayers to consider additional revenue to help sustain school operations. The district anticipates budget shortfalls to continue and the proposed referendum would provide funding to address those anticipated shortfalls for the next five years.
Like many school districts across the state, we are facing financial challenges because revenue limits have not kept pace with inflation. At the same time, the cost of many goods and services have increased over the years.

These factors have created increasing challenges as we work to maintain the quality educational opportunities and services our students and families have come to expect from the School District of Wausaukee.

We understand that a referendum is an important decision for our community, and we do not take that responsibility lightly. Our goal is to be transparent about our financial situation, explain why additional funding is being considered and provide information about how these resources would help sustain educational opportunities and services for our students.

The District will also be hosting listening sessions on Oct. 7, Oct. 21 and Oct. 28 to provide opportunities for community members to learn more and ask questions. Details about the listening sessions will be provided in the near future. We encourage community members to learn more about the proposed referendum, ask questions and participate in the Nov. 3 election.

Thank you for your continued support of our students, staff and School District of Wausaukee. We appreciate the opportunity to work together as a community to support our students and the future of our schools.