Next month, our school district is asking voters in our community to consider two questions that will appear on the April 7th ballot. One question is about financing construction, primarily at Sauk Prairie Middle School. The second question is about operating costs.

Let me share a little about both -- and invite you to call me if you have questions or want to tour our middle school to check it out for yourself. My direct line is 643-5980.

QUESTION 1: CONSTRUCTION
This question allows the school district to take out a loan to pay for major facility improvements. Sauk Prairie most recently did this in 2020 when it authorized the renovation and expansion of our 1964 high school and of Merrimac Community School.

The April 7th ballot will ask voters to approve a similar project for our 1967 middle school. We’ve gotten nearly 60 years out of the original 1967 air handlers, electrical panels, and other building systems thanks to the magnificent care of our maintenance crew. However, these systems are now decades past their expected lifespan and replacement parts are no longer being manufactured. Our referendum supports full system replacement to ensure reliable, efficient operation for years to come. It will also add a fire safety sprinkler system and separate the outdoor play space from loading dock traffic.

A smaller project is planned for Grand Avenue Elementary focused on redesigning the parking and driveway area to create separate routes for parent drop off and the buses, replace the boiler and fire alarm system, and tuckpoint the 1928 brickwork on the oldest section of the school.

QUESTION 2: OPERATING COSTS
Changes in government funding—particularly state limits that have not adjusted for inflation since 2009 and the upcoming end of a federal grant—have affected Sauk Prairie’s operating budget over time. The district is now bringing an operational referendum to the community to maintain student programs, extracurriculars, mental health programming, and to recruit and retain high-quality staff.

Both of these questions will increase the taxes paid by local property taxpayers. To determine the impact on your address, plug your home's assessed value (visible on your tax statement or local assessor's website) into our tax calculator for an approximate estimation. Check it out here: https://www.saukprairieschools.org/o/spsd/page/referendum-tax-calculator

The Sauk Prairie School District sincerely appreciates the community's support of our schools. Again, reach out with questions.
Sincerely,
Jeff Wright
Chamber Board President-Elect and SPSD Superintendent