What was proposed in the Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah School referendum?

ELKHART LAKE, Wisc. — Run-down locker rooms, worn-out gyms and rusty lockers just scratch the surface of what needs to be updated and replaced in the Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah School District.

I toured the schools with District Manager Adam Englebretson, who pointed out problem areas on the Resorter campus.

“Our school district hasn’t had a facilities referendum in 36 years,” he said.

“This is a process that the school board has been working on for the last two years and really doing due diligence… looking at immediate focus areas and then addressing those issues.”

Mikenzie Hammel, TMJ4

As of April, the district has no debt. Now voters are expected to approve a proposal$39.6 million referendum this election cycle.

Electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems all need to be replaced.

Some teachers I met said it was difficult to manage the classroom because of the loud hum of the outdated air conditioner.

Mikenzie Hammel, TMJ4

“It can get really loud and you can’t hear people talking,” said fifth-grader Adalind Stecker.

“It’s so hot,” fellow fifth-grader AJ Tegen added. “You should keep the windows open 24/7… even in the winter.”

Parent Mike Koehler knows this all too well. He also attended schools where he currently coaches basketball.

Mikenzie Hammel, TMJ4

“I don’t know that anyone exactly wants the Taj Mahal. We just want the support of the voters,” he said.

The other key part of this referendum proposes building the middle school on top of the existing high school building so students won’t have to walk nearly 10 minutes just to attend exploratory classes.

“This transition takes additional time during the day where you can regain those minutes in class and continue with the classroom,” explained Elementary and Secondary Schools Teacher and Assistant Principal Chris Petrie.

Mikenzie Hammel, TMJ4

In the winter, Tegen said, “Sometimes it’s hard to walk because the sidewalks aren’t shoveled.”

A separate future referendum will propose moving the 1938 elementary school to the middle school building and demolishing the old building.

Watch: Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah students and staff seek voter support.

What was proposed in the Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah School referendum?

“I feel like our school teaches a lot and shows how well we behave,” Stecker said. He thinks the place he learns should reflect that.

If this 2024 referendum passes, residents would pay $2.37 per $1,000 of their home’s value.

The property tax impact on a home valued at $100,000 would be $237 per year or $19.75 per month.

Mikenzie Hammel, TMJ4

“We have a lot of school spirit,” Tegen insisted.

“I am a passionate Resorter,” Koehler said. “And I want to see what’s best for the school and the community.”

Find out where to vote, what’s on your ballot, and more on TMJ4’s elections page here.

It’s time to watch it on time. Watch local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.

Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and more.

Report a typo or error