Vote YES for Strong Schools
Let us know you support the November referendum
A New Plan
At the August 19th board meeting - the school board approved a new referendum to be on the ballot for November 3rd. The new referendum asks for $90 million to:
Rebuild and renovate the middle school on the current location. This results in a nearly 70% new building, with 30% of heavy renovation. Infrastructure and educational spaces will be functionally the same as a new building.
Replace the critical HVAC system at the high school. The scope of that work necessitates updating the fire safety systems, including fire alarms and adding sprinklers.
Update fire safety - updating alarms and adding sprinklers - to both elementary schools.
Recent School Board Meetings
Aug 12, 2026 - Main Takeaways
New renovation plans were presented - basically 70% new building, 30% old building. Will take about 3 years (Jan 2028 - Aug 2030, demolition ending Dec 2030). There'd be NO temporary classrooms; they will build a new classroom wing first over current blacktop area to move classes into. This plan retains both gym and library for most of the construction time; the library may move temporarily during phase 3. It COSTS MORE than a new building ($67.7 new vs $68.4 renovated). Final building will have less outdoor space (building is larger) that will be where the bike racks/front gym currently are. Outdoor space during construction will be limited.
All board members feel this renovation is a good option as it means much less disruption to teachers/students than previously expected.
Board is currently looking at $90 million + $17 million (from our savings) as the referendum amount. The vote is 6-1 (with Brett being the sole vote to want to ask for more to do more).
Projects for this amount would include new middle school (68.4m), HS HVAC (35.5m), fire safety only at elementary schools (~3m). You can see a list of projects from April. This is basically lines 1 and 2, with a tiny bit of 3.
Why Use A Referendum?
Schools can’t just raise more money
Wisconsin school funding is set by the state. Each district has a revenue limit per student that cannot be exceeded without voter approval.
Whitefish Bay’s operating budget for 2025–26 is $35.5 million. The district can’t legally raise taxes without a referendum to fund large projects.
Most of the budget is used to pay for staff
About 80% of the operating budget goes to staff salaries and benefits ($28 million).
That leaves about $7 million to cover everything else, including:
• utilities
• technology and equipment
• special education services
• insurance
• routine maintenance
Capital projects are too large for annual budgets
In a good year, the district can save an extra $300K. This amount:
• cannot cover district-wide HVAC replacement ($30M+)
• cannot fund major roof replacements
• cannot pay for large additions or major renovations
School operating budgets are designed for annual expenses, not once-in-a-generation infrastructure upgrades. Referendums, by design, are the mechanism Wisconsin school districts use to fund large capital projects.
The last school facilities referendum in Whitefish Bay was approved in 2009 and funded building maintenance, safety improvements, and school additions.
Let’s Get Ready for November
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Who We Are
We are a group of engaged parents and community members who believe deeply in the value of strong public schools and the role they play in shaping our community’s future. Our mission is to provide clear, accurate information about the upcoming school capital referendum and why this investment matters for our students, neighbors, and village.
We believe that informed communities make the best decisions — and we’re proud to support a thoughtful, transparent plan for our schools’ future.
This effort is 100% community-driven. We are volunteers who care about safe, modern learning environments, responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars, and long-term planning that benefits both current and future generations. We know strong schools are essential for academic excellence and property values. Our goal is to help voters understand the needs behind the referendum, the solutions being proposed, and the impact this investment will have on our schools and community. Strong schools build strong communities.