Facility Planning Reports & News
- Superintendent Ouellette Presentation – November 1, 2022
- Elementary Facilities Planning Analysis Priority 1 & 2 Summary – December 13, 2021 (Wold Architects)
- Priority 1 – Immediate Need
- Priority 2 – 0-2 Years (Items are well past useful life or further deterioration will create higher repair costs or damage to other areas of the building)
- Priority 3 – 3-5 Years (Material or system that currently functions but will require replacement or repair within 5 years)
- Priority 4 – 6-10 Years (Material or system that currently functions but will require replacement or repair within 6-10 years)
- Priority N – Items related to aesthetics
- Elementary Facilities Planning Options Details – November 1, 2022 (Bray Architects)
- Elementary Facilities Planning Summary Page – November 1, 2022 (Bray Architects)
- Board of Education Work Session – October 24, 2022 (Discussion of Elementary Facilities and Funding starting at 28:00)
- Potential Staffing Scenarios for Elementary Options – October, 2022
- Hudson School District Newsletter – October, 2022
- Elementary & Middle School Options with Preliminary Budget Estimates (Bray Architects) – October 24, 2022
- Financial Considerations of Facility and Operational Levies (Baird) – October 24, 2022
- Elementary Facilities Planning Options – September 28, 2022
- Facilities Planning Meetings and Online Feedback (Sept. – October, 2022)
- Enrollment Projection Study (UW-Madison Applied Population Laboratory) – June, 2022
- Facility Task Force Final Report (Wold Architects) – December, 2021
- Facility Financing (Baird) – November, 2021
- Ten Year Facility Plan (Wold Architects) – May, 2021
Frequently Asked Questions
- What has the School District done to manage costs and capital maintenance to avoid asking for money?
- How can we be certain the School District has declining student enrollment? What if the projections are wrong?
- What are the contributing factors to the declining enrollment?
- How does declining enrollment affect a school district’s budget?
- Is it an option to close only one school?
- What happens to the staff in a school that is closed?
- How is the School District cutting administrative costs?
- Will teacher to student class size ratios increase?
- Is there research on the academic success of students in smaller elementary schools versus larger schools?
- What is the timeline for these options if approved in a referendum?
- Won’t these options require children to be on the bus longer?
Why Now?
Over the past two years, the Hudson School District has engaged the community, families, and staff in reviewing and planning our long-term facility needs. After a delay due to the pandemic, a Facilities Task Force began meeting in September 2021. This Task Force was made up of parents, community members, and staff. Their work led to the development of options that were presented to the community through a survey last fall. The survey results did not provide a clear direction to the Board of Education. The Board decided that additional research and planning needed to take place. Of primary concern was elementary enrollment projections.
During this planning, the School District has focused on the three challenges listed below.
Capital Maintenance Needs
The School District has worked to maintain facilities within the constraints of its annual budget. Most school district annual budgets do not provide adequate resources for large capital maintenance projects like heating, air conditioning, roofs, and windows. School districts across the state are experiencing the same capital maintenance challenges as Hudson. Annual public school funding simply does not cover these large expenses.
The School District invests approximately $1.5 million to $2 million annually in capital maintenance projects. This annual allocation, at a minimum, allows us to update one elementary school’s electrical and mechanical systems and not provide capital maintenance at any other school site.
Declining Student Enrollments
At the same time the School District has multiple capital maintenance projects, we are also experiencing declining student enrollments. State aid revenue for the School District is determined by the number of students attending our schools. Fewer students means less revenue for the School District. Even if student enrollment holds steady, state aid per student is not likely to cover expenses at the current inflation rate.
Operational Efficiencies
The School District must plan for lower enrollments and reduced state aid to sustain our positive financial standing. Our current budget challenges assume no new K-12 funding in the state biennial budget. Inadequate state funding puts pressure on all aspects of our operating budget. The School District is committed to maintaining academic excellence, adequate resources to met the learning needs of all students, keeping our current class size guidelines, and recruiting and retaining high-quality staff.
As a School District, we strive for the excellence our community expects and our students deserve while being mindful of our taxpayers. Considering the challenges related to capital maintenance, declining student enrollments, and the need for operational efficiencies, the Board of Education is reviewing five (5) potential elementary facility options. The majority of options include closing Houlton and Willow River Elementary Schools. By closing two elementary schools, the School District can assume operational cost savings related to less maintenance and a slight reduction in staff.
Hudson School District Facility Task Force Overview (2021-2022)
The Hudson School District has initiated a process to gather community input for the School Board to aide in decisions related to facilities.
The role of the Task Force is to analyze and review information and data regarding Hudson Schools facilities and their capacity for 21st century learning. The Task Force will submit a report to the School Board for consideration. The recommendations will include an examination of deferred maintenance, capital projects, and the possibilities around renovating or replacing school buildings. All meetings will be facilitated by Wold Architects and Engineers. (click here to read more)