Congratulations to Margaret, our Jersey Mike's Sub of the Week! Thank you, Margaret, for your commitment to the District!
Revised and Reduced Facilities Plan Finalized for April 1, 2025 Ballot:
One Referendum Question Proposed to Address Critical Needs & School Improvements
On Thursday evening, January 16th, the Sheboygan Falls School Board voted to present School District voters with a significantly revised facilities referendum on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. The proposed single question referendum project provides urgent space and critical capital improvement needs at the Elementary School and addresses safety, aging building systems, and outdated, inefficient learning spaces at the High School.
In direct response to voter feedback, the revised facilities plan has been reduced to a not-to-exceed total project cost of $70 million. The School Board has eliminated the second question proposed in November 2024, which included building a new auxiliary gym, new multi-sport field, and new track for $21.5 million. They have reduced the first question focused on Elementary and High School improvements by more than $8 million by removing space for childcare and further prioritizing projects at both buildings.
The proposed $70 million project includes the highest-priority projects, focused on providing space at the Elementary School, investing in existing buildings, and improving learning environments. “As a District, we feel it very important to return to our community with a revised plan that demonstrates we have heard them, and that we have listened,” noted District Administrator Zach Pethan. “The immediate facility and space needs we have at the elementary and high schools are not going away and neither is our goal to create facilities that align with our promise to Expect the Exceptional in Sheboygan Falls.”
Revised project highlights at the Elementary School include:
* Building a classroom addition (reduced size) for 4-year-old kindergarten and before/after school programs only, freeing up more space in the existing building for kindergarten through grade 4. The childcare program has been eliminated.
* Targeted renovations to the existing kindergarten area and kitchen
* Completing critical capital improvement projects including window and roof section replacements, mechanical system updates, kitchen equipment replacement, new playgrounds, and improving site drainage
Revised project highlights at the High School include:
* Completing critical capital improvement projects including window, door and roof section replacements, mechanical, electrical and plumbing system updates, flooring, ceiling, paint, casework and lighting upgrades
* Renovations to improve safety and address accessibility issues, including physical security modifications to allow sections of the building to be controlled after school hours, repairing the failing weight room floor and relocating the fitness center away from the middle of the school to control community access, replacing the elevator and existing stairs, adding a fire sprinkler system, and improving restrooms
* Renovations of outdated, existing learning areas, including science labs, former computer labs, special education, and other small group classroom areas
* Building a Career & Technical Education (CTE) addition ((reduced size) with appropriately sized classrooms and flexible labs to meet growing student program demands (culinary, woods, metals, robotics, agriculture, fabrication/grill, engineering/drafting, etc.)
* Building a safer, more accessible student & community fitness center (reduced size) that is no longer in the center of the building and relocating tennis courts displaced by CTE addition
* Renovations to the existing competition gym and locker rooms
The revised total project cost of $70M (reduced from $99.8M for both questions) translates to an estimated annual maximum tax rate for debt increase of $0.25 per $1,000 of equalized (or fair market) property value compared to the 2024 tax bill. That means that, if the referendum project is approved, for every $100,000 of property value, property owners would see an increase of $25 per year. For example, a property valued at $250,000 would note an estimated increase of $62.50 per year or approximately $5.21 per month. Preliminary financing estimates are based on a phased borrowing approach, with interest rates estimated at 4.75% to 5% for tax-exempt municipal bonds. Taxpayers would note this increase on their 2026 tax bill, which will be sent to property owners in December 2025.
The School District of Sheboygan Falls will continue to provide more information about the revised plan and proposed work at both schools in the coming weeks through a variety of communication channels prior to the April 1, 2025 Spring General Election. For immediate information, please don’t hesitate to contact District Administrator Zach Pethan directly at ztpethan@sheboyganfalls.k12.wi.us or 920-467-7893 or visit the district website at www.sheboyganfalls.k12.wi.us.
Reminder: Join friends, family, and staff of the School District of Sheboygan Falls for a fun night out with the Wisconsin Herd! More information can be found here: https://fevo-enterprise.com/event/ShebFalls
The School District of Sheboygan Falls will be closed on January 21st for the entire day. This is a traditional snow/cold day, and there will be no virtual learning. All after school activities at the Middle School are cancelled. All after school activities at the High School WILL TAKE PLACE AS SCHEDULED.
Congratulations to Yvette, our Jersey Mike's Sub of the Week! Thank you, Yvette, for your contributions to the District!
Join friends, family, and staff of the School District of Sheboygan Falls for a fun night out with the Wisconsin Herd! More information can be found here: https://fevo-enterprise.com/event/ShebFalls
Happy New Year from the SDSF!
The School District of Sheboygan Falls will start 2 hours late today.
December family newsletters were sent yesterday afternoon, you can access as follows:
Elementary School - https://sheboyganfalls.edurooms.com/engage/school-district-of-sheboygan-falls/newsletters/sfes-communicator-december-18th-2024
Middle School - https://sheboyganfalls.edurooms.com/engage/school-district-of-sheboygan-falls/newsletters/sfms-messenger-december-18th-2024
High School - https://sheboyganfalls.edurooms.com/engage/school-district-of-sheboygan-falls/newsletters/sfhs-falconer-december-18th-2024
All after-school and Recreation Department activities have been cancelled for today, Thursday, December 19th.
Many Key Club members chose to be Secret Santas for residents of Pine Haven. Students fulfilled 81 holiday wishes this year! Thank you to all students who participated in bringing joy to others!
Join us for tonight's Board of Education meeting!
Sheboygan Falls FBLA needs you!
SFHS FBLA will host the Region 6 Leadership Conference on Saturday, February 1st, 2025. Over 600 students from many of our neighboring counties will compete in over 30 events. Over 60 judges are needed!
Please consider signing up as a judge here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0944ABA92DA0FDC61-53482751-wifbla
We appreciate your feedback!
November newsletters were published yesterday, you can access them as follows:
Elementary School - https://sheboyganfalls.edurooms.com/engage/school-district-of-sheboygan-falls/newsletters/sfes-communicator-november-26th-2024
Middle School - https://sheboyganfalls.edurooms.com/engage/school-district-of-sheboygan-falls/newsletters/sfms-messenger-november-26th-2024
High School - https://sheboyganfalls.edurooms.com/engage/school-district-of-sheboygan-falls/newsletters/sfhs-falconer-november-26th-2024
We want your feedback!
Every year, the state's Department of Public Instruction reports student achievement, attendance, and graduation rates with publication of school and district report cards. Today the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction released the 2023-24 Report Cards. More information and links to the School District of Sheboygan Falls' report cards can be found on our website here:
https://www.sheboyganfalls.k12.wi.us/page/accountability-reports
This weekend Sheboygan Falls Middle School FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Lego League teams, Atomic Toasters and Lego Ducks, competed at the FIRST Lego League competition at LTC. The game consists of two parts; an innovation project and the robot game. Both teams represented Sheboygan Falls Middle School with pride. Congratulations to the Atomic Toasters for advancing to the next level and to the Lego Ducks for an amazing rookie year!
Join us for tonight's Board of Education meeting!
