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recordgleaner_20250319_trg-2025-03-19-0-009_art_1.xml
Learn More School Districts of Loyal and Greenwood CALL Chris Lindner at 715.255.8552 EMAIL chrislindner@loyal.k12.wi.us VISIT www.loyal.k12.wi.us FACEBOOK @ loyalschools Consolidation CALL Joe Green at EMAIL jogreen@greenwood. VISIT www.greenwood. FACEBOOK @ greenwoodwi LOYAL | G REENWOOD FAQ page excerpt Please read the following questions regarding the proposed consolidation between the school districts of Greenwood and Loyal. More information, along with other questions and answers, can be found by going to the following school websites: Loyal (loyal.k12. wi.us/quicklinks/referendum) or Greenwood (greenwood.k12.wi.us/page/advisory-ref). Question 28: 1. Where will the kids attend school? 2. What will happen to the building/buildings not being used? 3. Will there be a cost saving or increase? 4. What will the staffing situation look like? This advisory question is to gauge the public’s support for consolidation. It is not binding, but instead a guide for our boards to move forward. Most of these questions have been answered elsewhere in this FAQ page and I would also refer you to the fact sheet on the district website. 1. See Question 3 (below) 2. There has been no discussion of closing any buildings. 3. See Question 2 (below) 4. See Questions 5, 8, and 18 (below) Question 11: What is the timeline for a consolidation? Potential Joint Board Timeline for Consolidation April 1, 2025 Advisory referendum question — “Do you support the work of the (Loyal/Greenwood) School Board to consolidate with the School District of (Loyal/Greenwood)? Cost - About $4,000 per district (Quarles and Brady) If a majority is Yes December 2026 Both boards adopt a resolution to start an 18-month process for consolidation. December 2026-July 2028 Work as a joint board to make consolidation adjustments and prepare for a consolidated district, no facility changes, staffing reductions through attrition 2028-2029 First year as a consolidated district. All individual referendum dollars cease. New board will engage in strategic planning as a consolidated district to look at facilities, services, staffing, and needs to include the consolidated community input. November of 2028 (beginning of school year) Consolidated district operational referendum on ballot. Should be significantly less than current dollars in both districts. The referendum process starts earlier in the school year. Question 2: Will we still need taxpayer support for operational referendum dollars in a consolidated district? Due to the outdated funding formula that is still based on what districts spent in 1993, continued declining enrollment, the obligation to provide special education services, and the commitment to provide all students with a rigorous, balanced education, an operation referendum will likely still be needed whether the districts are consolidated or not. In a consolidated district, there would be significant cost savings in duplicative administration and staffing positions, contracted services, licensing and software, and co-curricular activities. These savings likely would surpass $1 million. This would then decrease the amount of the needed operational referendum for all residents as the tax burden will be shared more broadly. Question 3: Will a consolidated district change where students attend school? The Joint Board has decided that discussions about facilities and potential changes to the structure of facilities will wait until after the districts consolidate. In the event of consolidation, the new district could maintain current operation while still capturing the savings listed in question two. This would allow the new consolidated district to study and involve the whole community in strategic planning and make decisions together, in the best interest of all students. In reality, the consolidated district may operate for several years without making major changes to facility use or assignments. In the past, discussions about locations of buildings have halted discussions and changed the focus away from what is best for all students. A consolidated school district will give more flexibility to the district in creating courses and allowing students to attend a bigger variety of courses regardless of the building they are offered in, giving all students more opportunities. Question 5: What are the enrollment projections for both districts? To the right are the current enrollment numbers for both districts. This only includes grades 4K-8 as current high school students would likely be graduated by the time a consolidation could occur. This also includes class averages. These class sizes are subject to change as families may move in and out of the district. Question 8: How does staffing compare to other districts of Enrollment Projections Grade Loyal Greenwood Total 4K 23 24 47 5K 29 18 47 1 29 18 47 2 19 25 44 3 32 21 53 4 30 25 55 5 26 25 51 6 40 22 62 7 31 25 56 8 39 24 63 298 227 similar size? Comparable size district staffing budget (Staffing goal through natural attrition)4Salaries: Loyal staffing - 3.8 million, Greenwood staffing - 3.2 million, combined staffing - 7 million; Whitehall - 6 million; Neillsville - 5.4 million; Stratford - 5. 7 million; Cadott - 6.9 million; Osseo - 6.8 million; average - 6.1 million Total staff: Loyal, 53; Greenwood, 49; combine, 102; Whitehall, 90; Neillsville, 86; Stratford, 84; Cadott, 97; Osseo, 93; and average, 90. Benefits are not as easy to predict, but with these numbers, there would be an estimated additional $500,000-$700,000 in savings. Question 18: How would consolidation impact staffing? Some of the biggest cost savings would come from eliminating duplicative positions. There are a number of positions in each district, that as a consolidated district, there would only be a need for one. The superintendent role is an example of this. The joint board has talked mostly about letting natural attrition work to reduce staff to a sustainable level given the budget. In a consolidated district there are opportunities to utilize staff more efficiently. For example, some advanced classes have smaller class sizes in both districts. In a consolidated district, that may only be one section, thus creating great efficiency for staff to offer other course opportunities. 29 23 Avg. class size 4K-8 26 22 Avg. class size 4K-5 Paid advertisement 166155
recordgleaner_20250319_trg-2025-03-19-0-009_art_1.xml
Learn More School Districts of Loyal and Greenwood CALL Chris Lindner at 715.255.8552 EMAIL chrislindner@loyal.k12.wi.us VISIT www.loyal.k12.wi.us FACEBOOK @ loyalschools Consolidation CALL Joe Green at EMAIL jogreen@greenwood. VISIT www.greenwood. FACEBOOK @ greenwoodwi LOYAL | G REENWOOD FAQ page excerpt Please read the following questions regarding the proposed consolidation between the school districts of Greenwood and Loyal. More information, along with other questions and answers, can be found by going to the following school websites: Loyal (loyal.k12. wi.us/quicklinks/referendum) or Greenwood (greenwood.k12.wi.us/page/advisory-ref). Question 28: 1. Where will the kids attend school? 2. What will happen to the building/buildings not being used? 3. Will there be a cost saving or increase? 4. What will the staffing situation look like? This advisory question is to gauge the public’s support for consolidation. It is not binding, but instead a guide for our boards to move forward. Most of these questions have been answered elsewhere in this FAQ page and I would also refer you to the fact sheet on the district website. 1. See Question 3 (below) 2. There has been no discussion of closing any buildings. 3. See Question 2 (below) 4. See Questions 5, 8, and 18 (below) Question 11: What is the timeline for a consolidation? Potential Joint Board Timeline for Consolidation April 1, 2025 Advisory referendum question — “Do you support the work of the (Loyal/Greenwood) School Board to consolidate with the School District of (Loyal/Greenwood)? Cost - About $4,000 per district (Quarles and Brady) If a majority is Yes December 2026 Both boards adopt a resolution to start an 18-month process for consolidation. December 2026-July 2028 Work as a joint board to make consolidation adjustments and prepare for a consolidated district, no facility changes, staffing reductions through attrition 2028-2029 First year as a consolidated district. All individual referendum dollars cease. New board will engage in strategic planning as a consolidated district to look at facilities, services, staffing, and needs to include the consolidated community input. November of 2028 (beginning of school year) Consolidated district operational referendum on ballot. Should be significantly less than current dollars in both districts. The referendum process starts earlier in the school year. Question 2: Will we still need taxpayer support for operational referendum dollars in a consolidated district? Due to the outdated funding formula that is still based on what districts spent in 1993, continued declining enrollment, the obligation to provide special education services, and the commitment to provide all students with a rigorous, balanced education, an operation referendum will likely still be needed whether the districts are consolidated or not. In a consolidated district, there would be significant cost savings in duplicative administration and staffing positions, contracted services, licensing and software, and co-curricular activities. These savings likely would surpass $1 million. This would then decrease the amount of the needed operational referendum for all residents as the tax burden will be shared more broadly. Question 3: Will a consolidated district change where students attend school? The Joint Board has decided that discussions about facilities and potential changes to the structure of facilities will wait until after the districts consolidate. In the event of consolidation, the new district could maintain current operation while still capturing the savings listed in question two. This would allow the new consolidated district to study and involve the whole community in strategic planning and make decisions together, in the best interest of all students. In reality, the consolidated district may operate for several years without making major changes to facility use or assignments. In the past, discussions about locations of buildings have halted discussions and changed the focus away from what is best for all students. A consolidated school district will give more flexibility to the district in creating courses and allowing students to attend a bigger variety of courses regardless of the building they are offered in, giving all students more opportunities. Question 5: What are the enrollment projections for both districts? To the right are the current enrollment numbers for both districts. This only includes grades 4K-8 as current high school students would likely be graduated by the time a consolidation could occur. This also includes class averages. These class sizes are subject to change as families may move in and out of the district. Question 8: How does staffing compare to other districts of Enrollment Projections Grade Loyal Greenwood Total 4K 23 24 47 5K 29 18 47 1 29 18 47 2 19 25 44 3 32 21 53 4 30 25 55 5 26 25 51 6 40 22 62 7 31 25 56 8 39 24 63 298 227 similar size? Comparable size district staffing budget (Staffing goal through natural attrition)4Salaries: Loyal staffing - 3.8 million, Greenwood staffing - 3.2 million, combined staffing - 7 million; Whitehall - 6 million; Neillsville - 5.4 million; Stratford - 5. 7 million; Cadott - 6.9 million; Osseo - 6.8 million; average - 6.1 million Total staff: Loyal, 53; Greenwood, 49; combine, 102; Whitehall, 90; Neillsville, 86; Stratford, 84; Cadott, 97; Osseo, 93; and average, 90. Benefits are not as easy to predict, but with these numbers, there would be an estimated additional $500,000-$700,000 in savings. Question 18: How would consolidation impact staffing? Some of the biggest cost savings would come from eliminating duplicative positions. There are a number of positions in each district, that as a consolidated district, there would only be a need for one. The superintendent role is an example of this. The joint board has talked mostly about letting natural attrition work to reduce staff to a sustainable level given the budget. In a consolidated district there are opportunities to utilize staff more efficiently. For example, some advanced classes have smaller class sizes in both districts. In a consolidated district, that may only be one section, thus creating great efficiency for staff to offer other course opportunities. 29 23 Avg. class size 4K-8 26 22 Avg. class size 4K-5 Paid advertisement 166155
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