Student support and well-being

The operational referendum has enabled us to maintain and even strengthen critical student support services. Our students’ mental health remains a top priority, and with these funds, we’ve been able to ensure the availability of school counselors and social workers. Our partnerships with external agencies for mental health counseling have been sustained, ensuring that students have access to the resources they need to thrive emotionally and academically. The presence of academic and behavior coaches in our elementary schools has been consistently maintained, reinforcing a positive and supportive learning environment for students and staff.

Building enhancements for a better learning environment

This summer has witnessed significant improvements at Logan and Longfellow Middle Schools. Thanks to the operational referendum, these updates include orchestra and music room renovations, expanded storage facilities, improved restroom facilities, upgraded art rooms, and renovations to family and consumer science spaces. These enhancements contribute to a more conducive and inspiring learning environment, where students can flourish and educators can continue to deliver exceptional instruction.

Programs and personnel excellence

The success of our educational initiatives hinges on the dedication and expertise of our teaching staff. The referendum allowed us to maintain instructional programming at the highest quality while preserving small class sizes, fostering more personalized interactions between teachers and students. We have been able to offer a well-deserved 6% raise to our teachers, enabling us to attract and retain top-tier educators. This commitment to competitive compensation reinforces our ability to provide an exceptional education preparing students for success.

None of these accomplishments would have been possible without the steadfast support of our community. We extend our heartfelt gratitude for your dedication to quality public education and ensuring the well-being of all students. Together, we are building a stronger educational foundation for our students and a brighter future for our community.

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“We are grateful to everyone who supported our schools and students. We could not have done this without you and look forward to working together to ensure our students have the best education possible,” said Board of Education President Dr. Juan Jimenez. “The La Crosse community has a long tradition of supporting our schools and public education and, once again, they showed up to the polls to support our students, families, and staff. The passing of this referendum creates a number of great opportunities for the School District of La Crosse and enables us to take an important step forward in addressing district needs.”

The referendum, which received overwhelming support from voters, will provide the school district with critical resources to maintain students’ excellent educational experiences and opportunities. The wide community backing helps the district continue to prepare all students for college and the workforce, ensuring they are equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in the 21st-century global economy.

“We are proud of the community’s support for this important measure and grateful for the trust the voters have placed in us,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Aaron Engel. “The successful passage of the referendum is a testament to the community’s commitment to public education and their belief in the future of our students. We look forward to continuing to work together with the community to ensure our students receive the best possible education and are prepared for success in all their future endeavors.”

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On April 4, the School District of La Crosse is pursuing a six-year increase and extension of the 2018 operational referendum. Since 2004 the La Crosse community has supported four operational referenda, with the 2018 question approved by 75% of voters. These referenda have allowed the district to provide key student services, address critical operational maintenance, and provide essential resources for staff.

We are grateful for the community’s continued support of public education.

We recently sent a referendum informational mailer to all box holders in the city of La Crosse. You should be receiving a copy shortly if you haven’t already. For your convenience, we’ve also included a digital copy below. The information we’ve shared includes what an operational referendum will provide for our students and schools, why the district is seeking an operational referendum, and how the investment will impact taxpayers.

To learn more about the referendum and to find a full list of upcoming community information sessions please visit www.lacrosseschools.org/referendum-2023.

Please make your voice heard and vote on Tuesday, April 4.

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Investing in a consolidated high school and enhancing our middle school facilities by moving them into our current high schools will immediately improve the learning environment for half of our 6,000-plus students. This plan allows us to remove $18.5 million in maintenance expenses and reduce operating costs by $4.5 million a year. Savings that can then be reinvested in our students and teachers.

Most importantly, this plan allows the school district to continue to provide small class sizes and modern learning labs while providing the educational, elective, athletic, and extracurricular opportunities that our 6-12 students deserve to prepare them for the future.

We recently sent a referendum informational mailer to all box holders in the city of La Crosse. You should be receiving a copy shortly if you haven’t already. For your convenience, we’ve also included a digital copy below. The information we’ve shared includes what residents can expect to see on the November 8 ballot, an overview of the challenges the district faces, and our proposed solution.

To learn more about the referendum and to find a full list of upcoming community information sessions please visit www.lacrosseschools.org/referendum.

Please make your voice heard and vote on Tuesday, November 8.

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The core structure of the former Trane headquarters building is in good condition and capable of adding a third floor on the south end. While the renovation will be comprehensive to include new electrical, HVAC, roofing, windows, etc., the reuse of the existing building lowers the total cost of the project by an estimated $30 million.

The vast majority of the cost of the project will be to fund the construction of the new high school. The existing high schools are in great shape and very well suited to accommodate middle school students. While funds are allocated for middle school renovation, those costs are minimal. A more detailed breakdown of costs can be found below.

Building a new, consolidated high school and moving grades 6-8 into the existing high schools will provide the educational, elective, athletics, arts, and extracurricular opportunities in environments our 6-12 students deserve to prepare them for the future.

To learn more about the referendum, please visit https://www.lacrosseschools.org/referendum.

For a full list of community information sessions about the School District of La Crosse’s upcoming referendum, please click here.

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Transitioning our 6th through 8th-grade students to the existing high school buildings is an immediate improvement to the middle school experience with access to expanded space and programs:

• Laboratories for science curriculum

• Technical education classrooms and labs

• Physical education and athletic facilities

• Band, choir, music classrooms

A new high school will provide modern classrooms and labs for collaborative, flexible, and hands-on learning, such as:

• Ability to offer electives students are asking for and need

• Increased opportunities, labs, and courses to explore career and technical courses to prepare our students for the jobs of the future, such as Engineering, Robotics, Advanced Manufacturing, Automotive, Culinary Arts, Health Sciences, etc.

• Increased options and opportunities in all aspects of the student experience – academics, arts, athletics, extracurriculars, etc.

• Estimated annual savings of $4.5 million through efficiencies gained by moving from five to three middle and high school buildings

To learn more about the referendum, please visit https://www.lacrosseschools.org/referendum.

For a full list of community information sessions about the School District of La Crosse’s upcoming referendum, please click here.

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Don’t miss this opportunity for #WeAreLaCrosse residents to meet with Superintendent of Schools Dr. Aaron Engel about the district’s upcoming referendum. We will share what residents can expect to see on the November 8 ballot and an overview of the challenge the district faces and the proposed solution.

You’ll have an opportunity to ask questions about the referendum and discover more about what it would mean for our district. The session is open to the public.

For a full list of community information sessions about the School District of La Crosse’s upcoming referendum, please click here.

To learn more about the referendum, please visit https://www.lacrosseschools.org/referendum.

Please make your voice heard and vote on Tuesday, November 8, 2022.

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Over the last two years, the district assessed its oldest buildings, explored dozens of facility options, brought together focus groups and listening sessions, and gathered comprehensive feedback through two community-wide surveys. The idea that emerged from the community to most likely address the district’s budgetary needs and best prepare students for the future was to build a consolidated high school and move the middle schools into the existing high schools.

The referendum question asks voters for approval of general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $194,700,000 for the public purpose of paying the cost of a school building and facility improvement project consisting of: acquisition of land for and construction of a consolidated high school, including a performing arts center, athletic facilities and site improvements; renovations and improvements to the current high school buildings for conversion into middle schools; and acquisition of furnishings, fixtures, and equipment.

“As our enrollment continues to decrease, addressing our facility needs must be a priority,” said Board of Education President Juan Jimenez. “This is an opportune moment to re-invest in our students, staff, and community with minimal cost to our taxpayers. The referendum plan addresses our most immediate needs and allows us to improve the educational opportunities of over 3,000 of our students.”

If the referendum question is approved in November, it would represent a school property tax rate increase of $0.08 per $1,000 of property value from the current mill rate (a property tax increase of $8.00 per $100,000 of property value.)

To learn more about the district’s long-range facility planning solutions, please visit www.lacrosseschools.org.

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