Denmark School District residents will see two referendum questions on the November 8, 2022 ballot. Question 1 is an operational referendum to maintain current educational programs and services. Question 2 is a facilities improvement referendum to expand the elementary school to serve pre-Kindergarten through fifth-grade students.

Question 1: Operational 

• Renew the existing operational referendum to maintain current educational programs and services

• $925,000 per year through 2025-26 school year

• No tax increase

Question 2: Facilities Improvement (see image below)

• Expand Denmark Elementary for pre-Kindergarten through fifth-grade students and close the Early Childhood Center (ECC)

  • Create a new dedicated secure entrance

  • Improve the safety of bus and parent pick-up /drop-off areas

  • Create new cafeteria and multi-purpose space for all grades

  • Create new art and music classrooms

• Project cost: Not to exceed $31 million

• Estimated tax mill rate increase of $0.15 per $1,000 ($15.00 per $100,000) of property value

Leading up to the approval of the building referendum, the District completed a three-phase process over the last three years. These phases included a facility condition assessment, educational needs assessment, and development of a facility maintenance and solution plan. 

Although the District has been able to significantly update facilities to provide better spaces for our students, staff, and community, needs at the Early Childhood Center (ECC) still needed to be addressed through a capital referendum. In addition, the existing operational referendum was up for renewal.

As part of the planning process, the District conducted a community-wide survey last spring. The survey asked for feedback on these two questions, as well as overall satisfaction with the District. The survey results helped the School Board and District develop a facilities plan that reflected the community’s priorities, including: 

• The operational referendum renewal of $925,000 would be supported by 71% of survey respondents. 

• The capital referendum to close the ECC building and consolidate all students onto one campus would be supported by 70% of survey respondents. 

In addition, the Denmark School District enjoys a very high level of satisfaction from all key subgroups who took the survey; ranking in the 99th percentile among all Wisconsin districts!

To view the complete survey results from School Perceptions, click to visit our Facility Planning page. 

Please join us at two informational meetings to ask questions and learn more about the proposed plan:

• October 13, 6:00 p.m. Early Childhood Center

• October 19, 6:00 p.m. Elementary School Gym

PROJECTED TIMELINE

There are two questions on the November 8 ballot. Question 1 renews the operational referendum at $925,000 annually through the 2025-26 school year with no impact to the current mill rate. Question 2 is for the proposed plan not to exceed $31 million with a tax mill rate impact of $0.15 per $1,000 of fair market property value.

Mill rate estimate based on 2021 equalized valuation with 1% annual growth thereafter; borrowings amortized over 21 years at a planning interest rate of 4.75%. Mill rate impact for Question 2 represents the estimated change in mill rate for referendum debt over the 2021-22 rate. (Baird)