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The School District of Reedsburg is focused on creating innovative facilities with modern learning environments that will support rigorous academic programs and career pathways for ALL students. The aim of long-term facilities planning is to map out, over time, how existing facilities can best be adapted to support future educational programming, which aging buildings should be considered for replacement, and when deferred maintenance needs should be addressed.
For more information:
Please choose the appropriate link on the left-hand side of this page under Long-Term Facilities Planning.
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Last Updated July 15, 2024 - At its meeting on Monday, July 15, the School District of Reedsburg’s Board of Education approved proceeding with Capital and Operational Referendum questions on November 5, 2024. This action allows the board to move forward with the development of the official resolution and ballot language for the two referendum questions and how they could appear on the ballot. Then, the board will consider adopting the two ballot questions during the August board meeting.
Proposed Facilities Referendum
Following community listening sessions and a district-wide survey, the Board of Education developed a $14 million facilities plan that would renovate and upgrade the RAHS Construction Trades, Manufacturing/Engineering, and Agriculture spaces and would create a small addition to the agriculture space that would include a new greenhouse and allow for additional new and innovative programs in Agriculture, Animal Science and Natural Resources. The plan would also upgrade the commons into a more inviting space for our students and our community and renovate the library, large group room, and two adjacent classrooms into what is being called the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
“Our first priority is always keeping our students warm, safe, and dry,” said Superintendent Roger Rindo, Ed.D. “But this proposal represents a strategic investment in student learning opportunities. The proposed renovations at RAHS will improve our ability to deliver the relevant, career-focused education area employers have been calling for.”
The referendum proposal is part of the long-term facilities plan developed by the Board of Education.
“We have listened to the community and developed a referendum plan based on their input,” said Board President Gary Woolever. “In November, we are seeking voter input on most immediate needs. But we must remember that the district will need to replace Webb Middle School at some point in the future, and the District has a plan for that as well.”
Proposed Operational Solution
The Board of Education also authorized a non-recurring operational referendum to exceed the revenue limit by $4 million annually over the next four years. In going to an operational referendum, the School District of Reedsburg is joining the majority of public school districts across the state that have sought operational referendums in recent years to combat state funding failing to keep up with rising costs. During this past February and April elections alone, 65 school districts across the state had operations questions on the ballot.
“We have been diligent in our advocacy for increased funding at the state level, but we have reached a critical level. For too long, state funding has not kept up with the cost of operating the district. For example, in this past year, the District had to transfer $4.9 million dollars from the General Fund to the Special Education Fund because the state only supports Special Education funding at approximately 30%. An operational referendum is our only other alternative to increase revenue,” said Dr. Rindo.
If both questions are successful, the tax impact would result in a tax increase between $.40 and $.55 cents. At $7.55, that is lower than the tax rate two years ago, which was $7.63. The District is working with its financial consultant and will have a firm estimate on the tax increase at the August meeting when the Board will need to take formal action on the actual referendum resolution and ballot language.
“If successful,” Rindo added, “this plan will help ensure the district is delivering the best possible programs and services to our students, and we will provide details on all of this in the weeks and months ahead.”
Next Steps
Residents can learn more by visiting the district website or by contacting the Central Office at (608) 524-2016.
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May 20, 2024 - This spring, the School District of Reedsburg distributed a community-wide survey to district residents. In its effort to provide an unbiased and transparent approach, the District utilized a third party, School Perceptions, to develop and analyze the survey. The survey results, meant to collect input on the district’s facilities and operation plans, were provided to the Board of Education during a workshop on May 1, 2024, and presented during the monthly board meeting on May 20, 2024.
The community survey asked district residents to provide input on:
- Constructing a new middle school to serve grades 5 through 8.
- Renovating and adding on to Reedsburg Area High School, including projects to support career and technical education.
The survey had 1,326 respondents, which is a solid response rate according to School Perceptions, which conducted it on behalf of the District. To view the entire community survey report, visit the district website.
The majority of survey respondents did not support the construction of a new middle school at this time. The weighted support of Definitely yes and Probably yes for a $122.9 million referendum came to 43.5 percent. School Perceptions develops its weighted support by projecting the actual survey responses by each demographic group with the percentage of each group that is represented among all eligible voters in the District.
In the upcoming weeks, the Board of Education will chart its course with an unwavering commitment to incorporating community input. This includes deliberating on whether to pursue more cost-effective operational and/or facilities referendum questions.
“Thank you to everyone who participated in our survey,” said School Board President Gary Woolever. “Community input is incredibly important to shaping the School District of Reedsburg’s future. We’re committed to cultivating trust with our community. Acting on what we hear from parents, staff, and residents is vital to building strong school-community relations.”
“We appreciate the time and effort our Board of Education and others have invested in our long-term facilities planning work,” said District Superintendent Roger Rindo, Ed.D. “Our facilities needs are not going away. The planning work over the last two years has laid the foundation for re-approaching facilities planning in the future.”
The School District of Reedsburg remains steadfast in its vision to provide a world-class educational experience to all students at all levels. We strive to inspire creativity, innovation, and a desire to achieve greatness.
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The facilities plan strives to achieve several key objectives over the next 30 years:
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The long-term facilities plan approved by the board outlines the roadmap for the future of the District’s school buildings.
Over the last few months, the Board and administration have put significant efforts towards developing the program and project scope, estimating costs, and conducting financial analysis. They now have the preliminary steps to the plan, which will be shared with stakeholders for feedback. See below for more information on the potential phase 1 project and view the board's continued facilities work.
A community-wide survey has been distributed to all School District of Reedsburg residents to gather input to help the board determine its next steps, whether to continue moving forward with the current project scope, make adjustments, or pause its facilities planning. Implementing the long-term facility plan in phases spreads costs over time, making it more affordable for taxpayers. Your feedback and direction from the survey about the first phase is extremely important; please take time to complete it before the Deadline of Friday, March 22, 2024.
COMMUNITY SURVEY LINK:
PLEASE USE THE ONE-TIME CODE MAILED TO YOU. IF YOU MISPLACED IT, PLEASE CONTACT THE CENTRAL OFFICE AT (608) 524-2016.
DISTRICT MAILINGS & COMMUNICATION:
Over the last few months, the Board and administration have put significant efforts towards developing the program and project scope, estimating costs, and conducting financial analysis. They now have the preliminary steps to the plan, which will be shared with stakeholders for feedback. See the board's continued facilities work.
In early March, a community-wide survey will be distributed to gather your input to help the board determine its next steps, whether to continue moving forward with the current project scope, make adjustments, or pause its facilities planning. Implementing the long-term facility plan in phases spreads costs over time, making it more affordable for taxpayers. Your input and direction from the survey about the first phase is extremely important; please take time to complete it.
DISTRICT MAILINGS & COMMUNICATION:
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Over the last six months, the board has diligently cross-examined and evaluated the district’s many educational facility needs. They worked through a prioritization exercise that resulted in a consensus on the scope of a potential project.
The preliminary phase 1 project scope includes the following:
» Construct a new middle school serving grades 5th-8th.
» Renovate and modernize the Construction, Manufacturing, and Engineering classrooms and labs at Reedsburg Area High School (RAHS).
» Update existing Agriculture classrooms and construct a new lab and greenhouse at RAHS.
» Modernize and update the cafeteria/commons space at RAHS.
A significant factor in pursuing a new middle school is the condition of Webb Middle School. It was built in 1954 as a high school, expanded in 1970, and then converted to a middle school in 1998. The building sits next to a 100-year floodplain, and it cannot be expanded. The district faces $30.2 million in capital maintenance projects (2026 dollars), and Webb Middle School accounts for over half this total of $15.6 million.
Another key influence is the need for more hands-on learning and skills development at all levels and the vital role Career and Technical Education plays in preparing students for real-world success. Teaching and learning has changed significantly over time. Critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration are hallmarks of schools today. However, bringing this strategic focus area to fruition requires the buildings to support this type of learning environment through improved, flexible, and adaptable spaces.
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» The proposed new middle school would be built on the district-owned property across from Prairie Ridge Intermediate School. The building design would incorporate new innovative learning spaces, allowing for further career pathway development, student collaboration, project-based learning, and student performances.
» The facilities plan recommends a middle school for 5th-8th grades. This would allow 5th-grade students to access more advanced courses and electives. Moreover, this shift would also free up space at Pineview and Westside Elementary Schools for anticipated future enrollment growth at those levels.
» In order to fulfill the district vision of providing a world-class educational experience to all students at all levels, inspiring creativity, innovation, and a desire to achieve greatness, the high school needs to have adaptable spaces that support its current and future academic programming.
» Student interest in technical education has nearly doubled in recent years. However, classrooms and labs have not been updated to meet the new learning needs of these career pathways. These areas lack the space and equipment required to properly train students for jobs in agriculture, manufacturing, construction, and engineering - all of which are key technical careers and businesses located within our community and county.
The board thoroughly evaluated the challenges faced by the district facilities, the need to align facilities to academic programming, and cost estimates. They found that this potential phase 1 project aligns with the long-term facilities plan and strategic goals while balancing the tax impact of this community-wide investment. Through strategic fiscal preparation, the board has saved more than $3.3 million in future interest expenses by paying off its current debts early and making room for future facility improvements like this.
The School District of Reedsburg, after nearly a year of research, discussion, and stakeholder input, approved a 30-year plan to improve our school facilities. Current and future school boards will guide this process, one step at a time, in our pursuit of Building Excellence.
The Long-Term Facilities Plan strives to achieve several key goals:
During its June 19, 2023, meeting, the School District of Reedsburg’s Board of Education took action to approve the Long-Term Facilities Plan (LTFP). The LTFP recommends a grade level configuration of 4K-1, 2-4, 5-8, and 9-12. There is no immediate facilities project that was approved as a part of the LTFP. This plan was developed over the course of the last 10 months, and it is directly connected to the District’s strategic plan.
The LTFP is a 30-year plan that the board and administration worked collaboratively with and was informed by detailed analyses provided by outside consultants on deferred capital maintenance needs, projected future enrollments, and building capacities.
The LTFP has no immediate facilities project(s). “The product of this work will not be a single project but a long-term plan that outlines a number of potential projects over time,” states Superintendent Roger Rindo, Ed.D. “The plan will encompass what the district can do for ALL students to impact their overall learning experience, growth, and achievement in flexible and adaptable spaces.”
During the exploration process, the School Board identified and evaluated 8 different possible scenarios with regard to the number of future buildings, their grade level alignments, and their maximum student capacities.
Staff and community feedback was solicited on 5 possible scenarios as an intentional component of the planning process. The Board remains committed to that engagement as our facilities work moves forward.
The LTFP establishes a broad future direction for the district's facilities. There will be no immediate changes in grade-level configuration. In the months to come, the School Board will consider how to phase implementation of the LTFP.
One of the most critical findings during the process is that Webb Middle School requires a very large investment in basic capital maintenance needs today. It is also important to point out that the Reedsburg Area High School has facilities needs, including the development of more flexible learning spaces and renovations to support increases in rigorous academic programs and career pathways for all students.
Included as a part of the LTFP, a grades 5-8 middle school will, when opened, relieve any future capacity issues at the 4K-5 grade levels at least until 2036 or later
The District will not be able to immediately transition to four buildings even if a new 5-8 middle school opens. Making that eventual transition will require an addition to (or replacement of) Pineview Elementary at some point in the future.
Beginning in August, the Board will focus on further program and scope development, cost estimating, and financial analysis as we begin to evaluate and define a preliminary Phase One plan that will be shared with stakeholders for feedback.
Rindo adds, “We will keep in mind our vision to provide a world-class educational experience to all students as we move through the process of long-term facilities planning.
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| Last Updated: 7/15/24 |
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