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Kewaunee School District proposes district-wide improvements for April referendum

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KEWAUNEE – On Jan. 13, the Kewaunee School District Board of Education unanimously approved presenting school district residents with a facilities improvement plan to solve the district’s most pressing facility needs, and better utilize the district’s educational spaces.

School district residents will vote on the proposed plan on April 1.

The referendum will ask residents permission to borrow up to $24.5 million for a school building and facility improvement project.

The proposed improvements include:
• Prioritized capital maintenance improvements
• Classroom renovations to accommodate space needs of 3K, 4K and kindergarten programs, including shifting eighth grade students to underutilized space at the high school
• Targeted general classroom updates
• Visual and performing arts classroom renovations
• New student/event entrance
• Renovations and expansion of locker rooms and support spaces
• Renovation and expansion of kitchen and cafeteria
• Expansion of the agricultural building and surrounding asphalt for additional transportation support space and bus parking
• Acquisition of furnishings, fixtures and equipment

Over the past year, the Kewaunee Board of Education and administration has been assessing and evaluating options to address facility needs that are too large to be covered by the District’s annual operating budget.

The district began its long-term planning efforts by conducting a comprehensive facilities assessment to identify maintenance needs and evaluate educational adequacy across its facilities.

During the planning process, the Kewaunee School District and Board of Education actively sought stakeholder input through a community-wide survey in fall 2024.

The valuable feedback provided by district residents led the board to the final referendum scope, adopted at the January board meeting.

“We’re very excited about the proposed referendum, as we feel this plan is designed to provide learning environments which are welcoming, safe and accessible while being cost effective, energy efficient, and adaptable for student, staff, and community use,” said Jerry Charles, Board President of the Kewaunee School District. “Our goal with this next phase of our long-range facilities plan is to pick up where we left off 10 years ago, addressing our remaining building system and site needs, and continue providing modern, flexible educational spaces our students and community can be proud of for generations.”

The proposed improvements will impact every student in the district and invest primarily in the district’s existing facilities.

Detailed information about the proposed referendum projects, including preliminary site plans, will be available soon.

Residents are encouraged to attend upcoming informational meetings and school tours to learn more before the April 1 election.

“Our maintenance staff has done a great job keeping our buildings in good condition, and the District has replaced some infrastructure using annual budget dollars over the past few years, but the costs of these necessary projects are too large to be covered in our annual operating budget,” said District School Superintendent Scott Fritz. “Following the feedback gathered from the community-wide survey, we are excited to move forward with a referendum vote in April 2025.”

You can find more details on the district’s website.

For further questions, contact Fritz at (920) 388-3230 or sfritz@kewaunee.k12.wi.us.

Referendum ballot question

Shall the Kewaunee School District, Kewaunee and Manitowoc Counties, Wisconsin be authorized to issue pursuant to Chapter 67 of the Wisconsin Statutes, general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $24,500,000 for the public purpose of paying the cost of a school building and facility improvement project consisting of: district-wide renovations, capital maintenance, classroom and building infrastructure improvements; construction of additions and renovations to Kewaunee High School, including for expansion of the kitchen/cafeteria, a student and event entrance, and physical education/athletic locker room support space; and construction of an addition to the agricultural building for a transportation support building; acquisition of furnishings, fixtures and equipment; and other site improvements?

Kewaunee School District Board of Education, facility improvements, referendum, educational spaces, maintenance, classrooms, updates

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