Waunakee board signs off on referendum survey after debate over 4K note and facility framing

The Waunakee Community School District board approved a draft community survey for a potential capital referendum Wednesday night but asked administrators to revise several items to reduce confusion and add clearer visual context.

The board discussed whether to include a footnote about the state’s Get Kids Ready program (an early-childhood reimbursement program) after Miranda, the district 4K coordinator, told the board that 4K enrollment and placements are changing rapidly and that program reimbursement levels have fluctuated. Board members said the footnote, as drafted, could alarm respondents or invite questions the survey could not answer. “4K data changes daily,” Miranda said during the presentation, and board members agreed the survey should either explain the potential fiscal impact more clearly or omit the reference until the district can present firm scenarios.

Administrators also walked the board through the proposed scope of the referendum—items that were consolidated after a February board workshop—including high-school renovations and athletic updates. The presentation included a tax-impact graphic showing a projected 43¢ increase per $100,000 of assessed value for the larger $105 million scenario, which staff said they included so the public could see the potential local tax effects. Steve, who led the facilities presentation, said the $105 million option reflects board feedback at the workshop and would include the projects shown on the survey.

Board members asked staff to add a clearer statement on long-range planning so the public understands the district’s intent to move to a single high-school campus in the long term, and to replace some of the technical slides with a more visual timeline that shows past investments and how the proposed work fits into a multi-decade plan. “We should show this is not a one-off; it’s part of a larger plan,” one board member said.

Administration agreed to the requested changes and said the goal is to begin distribution in early April, present results to the board in May, and use the findings to guide planning for summer and fall work. If no further edits are requested, staff said they will proceed to finalize the survey and print materials.

The board’s requested edits focus on clarity for respondents: either explain the 4K/Get Kids Ready implications in a standalone appendix or remove the footnote; improve graphics to show historical investments and the district’s long-range facility strategy; and add language explaining why athletic/team-center improvements were proposed (to bring facilities into parity with peer districts, not as luxury upgrades).