Q: What does the phrase “district-wide capital maintenance, infrastructure and site improvements” mean in the ballot question? Does this mean that funds could be used to add athletic facilities to Mukwonago High School?
The referendum question spells out the scope of the work. The district cannot go beyond the question to add to the project outside of what voters would approve. However, should the district be able to control costs, competitively bid out projects, and/or realize interest earnings, this would allow for the district to potentially address other critical building needs listed in our ten-year capital plan, like replacing roofs, repairing parking lots, updating HVAC equipment, etc. The referendum funds would not be repurposed for renovations outside the scope of the project like new athletic facilities at Mukwonago High School.
Q: Was a renovation of Park View Middle School considered instead of building a new school?
Yes, during the facility study community focus group meetings in the spring of 2023, both a renovation of PVMS and new construction were presented as options. The community members who attended overwhelmingly supported new construction for a variety of reasons including:
- Renovation would cost approximately $85 million, about 88% of building new
- Renovation would take longer and disrupt student learning across multiple school years
- Renovation would not move the location of the existing school and not improve traffic concerns at Highway 83 and E. Veterans Way
Q: Would eliminating open enrollment students from our elementary schools add the necessary space in our schools to accommodate 6th grade at Park View Middle School and 4K at our elementary schools?
Eliminating open enrollment students is not a desirable option for MASD. First, eliminating open enrollment students would not create the necessary space at PVMS or any of our elementary schools. Beyond that, the need for 4K space is partially driven by the loss of community partners over the years. When MASD added 4K, there were 6 community partners and now there are currently 3.
Finally, through the careful and considered addition of students through open enrollment, MASD has actually been able to add revenue to the district’s financial position by filling out classrooms that were already fully staffed. MASD works hard to add enough students to make fiscal sense without adding costly new staffing.
Q: If 6th grade is moved out of the elementary schools, why are the elementary school renovations needed?
Currently, our elementary schools are at or near capacity. Moving 6th grade to Park View is preferred both because it will provide the best instructional opportunities for our students and because it will open up classrooms needed to add 4K. Many of the classrooms that would be vacated by 6th grade are not designed to accommodate four-year-olds and need modifications to make them appropriate learning environments, including age-appropriate bathrooms, sinks, and furniture. For the elementary project, the renovations will include converting current classrooms into two 4K classrooms.
Q: Has the district considered future enrollment projections in the planning for this project?
The district commissioned a community growth and project study by MDRoffers Consulting in 2022. While there is a current decline in enrollment that nearly all school districts in Wisconsin are experiencing due to the impacts of the pandemic, the attractiveness of the Mukwonago area and the availability of land on which to build new housing developments means that resident enrollment is expected to grow by as much as 10% over the next decade. The proposed new middle school solution is planned to accommodate the expected growth. Elementary school capacities will be monitored to determine future needs.
Q: Why does the district want to move 6th grade into a middle school environment?
Moving 6th grade to a middle school provides several academic benefits for students. Currently, our district’s 6th grade students are among few students in the state to remain in elementary schools, limiting their access to advanced academic options like high-level math, world languages, music, and science/technology courses, like Park View Middle School’s award-winning Project Lead the Way program. Our students’ peers in neighboring communities have access to many of these same courses and realigning grade levels would provide our children with comparable access. Shifting 6th grade to the middle school would also provide those students with a far greater opportunity for extracurricular, co-curricular, and athletic activities than they are currently able to access at elementary schools. For example, each year a group of district 6th grade students take accelerated math at PVMS beginning at 7:22 a.m. and are transported by bus to their home elementary schools for the rest of their day. Realigning grade levels would eliminate this need.
Q: If 4K is added to district elementary schools, will the district only offer full-day 4K or will half-day sessions also be offered?
If the referendum is successful and 4K can be offered at all district elementary schools, it is expected that both full-day and half-day options will be offered.
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