January 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-january-29th-2025
Middle School - https://sheboyganfalls.edurooms.com/engage/school-district-of-sheboygan-falls/newsletters/sfms-messenger-january-29th-2025
High School - https://sheboyganfalls.edurooms.com/engage/school-district-of-sheboygan-falls/newsletters/sfhs-falconer-january-29th-2025
Congratulations to Amy, our Jersey Mike's Sub of the Week! We appreciate your contribution to the District, Amy!
2nd graders work hard each week to meet their Reflex math goals!!
A short week calls for learning and reviewing fun with shapes and Red words!
Congratulations to Margaret, our Jersey Mike's Sub of the Week! Thank you, Margaret, for your commitment to the District!
For our youngest learners! If you are looking for something fun to do this Friday, check this out!
Above and Beyond Children's Museum at 10 am.
https://www.facebook.com/share/18x9ZJ37SJ/?mibextid=wwXIfr
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space and critical capital improvement needs at the Elementary School and addresses safety, aging building systems, and outdated, inefficient learning spaces at the High School.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
2nd grade is completing aimsweb testing this week. Please help your child to remember to charge and return their Chromebook to school on Wednesday, Jan. 22.
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.
Reminder---No school 1/17/25 and 1/20/25. We will see you back on Tuesday 1/21/25!
This week has been busy in 2nd grade! We have enjoyed indoor recess activities, measuring objects, and cheese sampling, yummmm!
Congratulations to Yvette, our Jersey Mike's Sub of the Week! Thank you, Yvette, for your contributions to the District!
Tonight is the night! Panera Bread Dine and Donate from 4-8pm!
Kindergarten has been working on measuring and reading about celebrating differences!
We also had our Energy Bus assembly!
Energy Bus Tenet #3 No Bullies Allowed! SFES had assemblies today on how we can be Bucket Fillers! Bucket Filler school challenges start next week!
SFES Breakfast is the best! For $1.90/meal your child can have a nutritious breakfast to get their day going. Each month our amazing kitchen staff will be running a contest with a winning ticket placed in a random breakfast bag. Congrats to this month's winner, Alyssa!
2nd Graders practiced graphing with M&Ms!
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
