Following the results of the April 2023 referendum election, the Wautoma Area School Board and Administration met to discuss next steps in the planning process with city leaders, community members, Plunkett Raysich Architects, LLP (PRA) and CG Schmidt during a Work Meeting on April 24 at Wautoma High School.
Current Riverview Principal and Incoming District Administrator Jewel Mucklin led the meeting first by recapping the entire referendum process and expressing the desire to learn more about the Board’s vision going forward. She stated that when the next capital referendum would take place would really be dependent upon the 2023-2025 State Budget and how the State provides funding to schools over the next few years.
The Administration Team and the Board also felt their partnership with PRA, CG Schmidt, and Baird should continue, with a few requests to PRA in order to provide more information to the community. During the meeting, Mucklin and the Board requested Plunkett Raysich Architects, LLP Partner Devin Kack and his team present: a site plan and conceptual plan for the Lake Ridge Subdivision lots; a site plan for Parkside School showing how an entirely new school would look and fit on the existing land; and a site plan for keeping the Riverview gymnasium and kitchen and transforming the rest to green space as a community gymnasium/kitchen for the city to rent out.
Mucklin went on to start a discussion on ways in which the committee could provide more community outreach as well as reviewing the messaging for the referendum, including the potential to change the question the second time around. The Board and audience members felt creating a Focus Group of key stakeholders as well as encouraging any other community members to join would be beneficial.
The Focus Group would not only provide information on the referendum but explain the Open Enrollment Law; the potential full-time funding for 4-year-old Kindergarten; how the District receives revenue from the State; and how an accessible and updated new construction of an elementary school could assist in drawing more students and working families to the area by open enrolling to the District.
City of Wautoma Manager Tommy Bohler also attended the meeting and stated the City of Wautoma continues to be fully invested in this elementary school project and plans to hold the Lake Ridge Subdivision Property. He also said the City of Wautoma plans to assist in marketing the new elementary school as a benefit to the area the best they can and plans to be more involved in the referendum planning process.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Mucklin, current Wautoma Area School District Administrator Tom Rheinheimer, and the WASD School Board really wanted to emphasize that if a capital referendum is approved in fall of 2024, the new building will not be opened until fall of 2027. That being said, if the State puts in place fully-funded 4-year-old Kindergarten to begin in the fall of 2025, the District will work to find a place for the students until a new building is fully operational.
Understanding this, WASD Board Member Nicole Lehr stated moving third grade to Parkside School is not an option. In the meantime, the District will need to start looking at other options, including portable classrooms to be on the Riverview lot, according to Rheinheimer. Mucklin added the group will also need to look at an alternative plan if the referendum does not pass.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Mucklin stated all of the information that was discussed will be addressed to local stakeholders in the coming year in order to educate residents about the potential impact of not passing a referendum would have on the deteriorating school and the local community.