Athens K-12 advised to plan for referendums

By Casey Krauktramer

Financial consultants told members of the Athens School Board Monday that they should consider asking taxpayers to approve at least one of two expected referendums as early as the spring of 2026.

Debby Brunett and Elise Murn, consultants from Baird & Co. who specialize in school district finance, offered advice to board members as to when they should consider asking taxpayers for either a capital or operations referendum, or both, in the future.

The district’s non-recurring operational referendum ends after the 2026-27 school year. Murn suggested the school board have an operational referendum question in the spring 2026 election so the district can start receiving additional money from taxpayers in the 2027-28 school year when needed.

The district is also in need of a future capital referendum so it can borrow money for maintenance and upkeep of its school buildings. The district hired CESA 10 to conduct a facilities report to find what all needs to be fixed in the district’s three school buildings.

Murn said the district might first want to ask taxpayers to approve an operational referendum in the spring of 2026, so that it can keep its momentum going from 2023 when asking for money to pay for teacher salaries and benefits that make up the largest portion of the district’s budget. However, she said it’s risky for a school district to have two referendum questions in the same election.

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School districts are only allowed two referendum questions per year, so if one or both of them fails, the district would not be able to come back to voters in the fall.

Superintendent Andrea Sheridan told the school board that she will present more information on the district’s facility needs at the July meeting. She said Baird will be back at the board’s August meeting to provide additional information on the district’s need for future capital and operational referendums.

School boards are required to approve a resolution for a referendum question or referendum questions at least 70 days before a regular election is held, which won’t occur until spring of 2026.

Other business

■ The board approved the 202526 co-curricular code. Athletic director Juli Gauerke-Peter said the only change is that now students who receive an F in the fourth quarter at the end of the school year will be penalized in co-curricular school activities such as sports in the fall of the next school year. She said eighth graders have a clean slate when they enter high school.

■ Board members approved the athletic training agreement with Health in Motion to allow athletic trainer Maddie Oleksy to continue providing shared services to the Athens and Colby school districts again in 2025-26. The two district will pay $23,000 each for Oleksy to provide their student athletes with athletic training services.

■ The board approved a busing contract with Fischer Transportation for the 2025-26 school year, with an increase of $23,000 over this past school year.

■ Board members renewed the district’s annual membership with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA).

■ The board approved the human resources report, which includes the hiring of Seth Coker as middle school math teacher to replace Chris Czech, who retired. Jonathan Heier was hired as the district’s maintenance and operations supervisor, replacing Jamey Handschke, who resigned, and Laura Welge was hired as a parttime library medical specialist to help Dee Brewster.

The board also accepted the resignations of Emily Szutkowski, a fifth grade teacher at Maple Grove Charter Schoo, and Karissa Denton, a part-time school counselor.

Michelle Murkowski was hired as the sophomore class advisor for the Class of 2028 and Dakota Nowacki as a full-time seasonal custodian. Three summer school teachers were also hired, including Alyssa Antoniewicz, Michelle Carpenter and Adam Triebold.

Shawn Steinke, Matthew Ellenbecker and Andy Thurs were hired as assistant football coaches, and Jake Stange, Darion Ellenbecker and Jon Heier were hired as middle school assistant football coaches.

Karla Erickson was hired as a middle school cross country coach, and Mandy Ellenbecker and Joel Heimerl were hired to coach volleyball.