In PWSSD, our facilities have a series of needs that we must address soon to ensure our students continue to have access to a top-quality educational experience. The following are the facility needs that can be found districtwide:

• Addressing capacity issues and failing building systems at Saukville Elementary School.
• Replacing roof sections at Dunwiddie Elementary School, Lincoln Elementary School, the middle school and the high school.
• Improving ADA accessibility at Dunwiddie Elementary School and Lincoln Elementary School.
• Replacing exterior doors and windows at Dunwiddie Elementary School, Lincoln Elementary School, and Port Washington High School.
• Updating heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment at Dunwiddie Elementary School, Lincoln Elementary School, and Port Washington High School.
• Updating the playgrounds and surrounding areas at Dunwiddie Elementary School and Lincoln Elementary School.
• Installing or replacing emergency generators at Dunwiddie Elementary School and Lincoln Elementary School.

The Board of Education and our Community Operations Committee (COC) have determined that Saukville Elementary has the most significant needs at this time. Built in 1955 and updated in 1989, the school is on a small site and is currently at capacity. The building is aging and some of its systems are failing.

The primary focus of the 2025 referendum is to invest in the safety of TJMS by allocating $2.1 million for a new roof. This addresses the most urgent need and represents the most fiscally responsible approach for the future of both the building and the district. The Community Operations Committee and district facilities studies recommend constructing a new TJMS in the near future. However, survey results reveal mixed opinions on whether to renovate or build new. Our operations team will continue to explore and work on long-term solutions for TJMS.

Over the past two years, the district has reconvened the Community Operations Committee (COC), made up of staff, parents, community members, and local business owners. This committee had earlier come together to work on the solution that would become the voter-approved 2014 capital referendum. 

More recently, the COC has worked to define which project(s) should be included in the next phase of the district's master facilities plan. The committee has taken a thoughtful and comprehensive approach to evaluating our facility needs and exploring potential solutions.

We deeply appreciate the work and engagement of our COC members in examining the district's facility needs, prioritizing those needs, and developing a solution for the board's review and consideration. The board has used the COC's recommendation in proposing the capital referendum that will appear on the ballot in April 2025

For more detailed information on their work and how we got here please click here.

In October 2024, our community members provided their thoughts and feedback through a communitywide survey. A total of 1,966 community members completed the survey. We gained a number of important insights through this process:

• About 67% of parents and 51% of community members indicated they support the districtwide facility improvements in the next phase of the district's facility plan.
• About 60% of parents and 48% of community members indicated they support replacing Saukvile Elementary School as part of the next phase of the facility plan.
• A weighted majority of respondents (51.5%) indicated they would support the pursuit of a $66.7 million capital referendum to fund maintenance needs and the proposed Saukville Elementary project.

This survey provided critical feedback to the board and district leaders. In fact, the amount of the proposed referendum - at $59.4 million - is $7.3 million less than the $66.7 million originally considered and that was included in the survey.

On Tuesday, April 1, 2025, our community will vote on a $59.4 million capital referendum for PWSSD. If it is approved by voters, the district will build a new Saukville Elementary School to replace the current aging building.

This school will be build on a different site from where the school currently sits. District leaders are reviewing options for a potential new school site within the Village of Saukville or direction adjacent to the Village's boundaries. The new building will provide modern and flexible classrooms and spaces that will allow students to fully engage in 21st century learning.

In addition, the district would be able to use referendum funds to make maintenance, accessibility, and safety improvements across all buildings in PWSSD. For more information CLICK HERE.

A voter-approved referendum would have a property tax impact of 26 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. The owner of a home assessed at $300,000 would se a property tax impact of about $78 per year, or $6.50 per month. It is worth noting that, even with this increase, the district's portion of the property tax rate will remain below what it was in the 2022-23 school year.

The amount of the proposed capital referendum - at $59.4 million - is $7.3 million less than the $66.7 million originally considered and that was included in the survey.

The decrease in the overall amount, along with a reduction of over $27 per year in the tax impact on the average home, is due to adjustments in the district's maintenance plans for Thomas Jefferson middle School. The Survey presented options for either replacing or building a new middle school in the future. By structuring the current plan to only replace the roof at TJMS, the district is allowing for future planning.

A mill rate represents the amount of property tax per $1,000 of assessed property value. In Wisconsin, school districts use mill rates to determine the portion of property taxes that fund local education. According to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, the mill rate is calculated by dividing the total property tax levy by the total equalized value of all taxable property in the district, then multiplying by 1,000.

In 2015, our community approved a referendum covering additions and renovations at Port Washington High School and Dunwiddie Elementary. 

These projects have been critically important to our schools, students, and community - and they have made a real impact on teaching and learning at the two schools. 

Stay informed by joining us for one of our Referendum Information Nights below:

Thursday, January 30th, 2025 @ Saukville Elementary School (6pm).

Thursday, February 6th, 2025 @ Lincoln Elementary School (6pm).

Tuesday, February 18th, 2025 @ Dunwiddie Elementary School (6pm).

Wednesday, March 5th, 2025 @ Port Washington High School (6pm).

Wednesday, March 12th, 2025 @ Thomas Jefferson Middle School (6pm)

Tuesday, March 18th, 2025 @ Saukville Elementary School (6pm)

We welcome you to email any referendum-based questions to referendum@pwssd.org.

Election day is Tuesday, April 1, 2025.

District residents can find their polling location for Tuesday, April 1, by searching with their home address here.

Yes, voters may request that an absentee ballot be mailed to them for any reason. However, you must be registered before you can request an absentee ballot.

If you are registered, you can request an absentee ballot by clicking here. Please note that you must provide a photo ID with your absentee ballot request.

Eligible voters can register up to election day, and can even register at the polls. 

The deadline to register by mail is March 12, 2025. If you miss this deadline, you can still register in person at your municipal clerk's office until 5:00pm on March 28, or at your polling place on Election Day.

To learn more about registering to vote, click here.