By John Groh, District Administrator, SDSV
SPRING VALLEY, WI – (January 2, 2024) Happy New Year! The month of January is named after the Roman god Janus who had one face that looked forward and one that looked back. This article will do the same. A little over one year ago the School District of Spring Valley (SDSV) engaged the community in a conversation about two referendum questions. The first asked voters to support district operations and the second was to address outdoor community use and athletic facilities. Last April the voters spoke through the ballot box. The operating referendum narrowly failed to pass by nine votes. The facilities referendum received support from a little over 41% of those that voted.
In June 2023, state legislators and Governor Evers did something unexpected. For six of the previous eight years, per pupil funding increases were frozen. However, the lowest spending districts across the State were granted the ability to raise the low revenue ceiling by $1,000 per pupil. Spring Valley ranked 394th out of 421 districts in per pupil funding. This change along with future increases are estimated to help the district climb out of a deficit spending cycle over the next five years. An operating referendum remains a possibility in the future, but the funding limit changes have bought SDSV some time.
A comprehensive facilities study was initiated in November 2022 and the final report was presented to the School Board this past April. It identified and prioritized maintenance work for the middle/high school, pool, bus garage, and outdoor spaces. The elementary school was not a focus of this work as it was less than two years old at that time. Since then, the Board began the work of determining what steps to take next.
At a recent board meeting on December 20, 2023, a decision was made to hire a long-range facility planning and project management partner. The Board heard proposals from two reputable companies, Market & Johnson and Nexus Solutions. After a very thorough discussion, the Board selected Nexus Solutions as the partner. Nexus works primarily with school districts in both Wisconsin and Minnesota. References for both companies were excellent. A common theme with those that have worked with Nexus is their ability to connect with and listen to the community during the development of plans and their vision for developing educational spaces.
As the new year unfolds, please look and listen for progress in the formation of plans to address long-range facility plans. The School Board will be seeking public input regarding priorities for the next best steps. Important factors will include how to best prepare our students for their futures, how facilities can improve the educational experience for our students, how to be proactive and strategic about repairs and updates to maximize the impact of every dollar, and finally how and when to best pay for what we value in Spring Valley.
The referendum outcomes from last year were welcomed feedback. They helped get us to the point we are at now. The new partnership with Nexus Solutions will undoubtedly open new opportunities. These are exciting times at SDSV not only because of the great learning happening each day, but thinking about the vision of where we will go in the future. Thank you for taking the time to read this article and for your ongoing support for the students and staff of the School District of Spring Valley!
I wish you the very best in 2024 and I look forward to connecting with you.
