School Referendum News & State Budget Impact

At its July 18 meeting, the Westonka School Board approved the decision to place three school funding requests on the November 8 ballot: an operating levy and two maintenance bonds. The full press release is on our website--but here are some key facts:  

Question 1: A no-tax increase renewal of an existing operating levy. Funds help pay for teachers and instructional materials and provide some financial stability during these challenging times.  

Question 2: A $23.3 million maintenance bond to fund deferred maintenance of all district buildings, such as roofs, parking lots, and mechanical/electrical systems. Estimated tax impact on a $300,000 home is $9/month.  

Question 3: A $6.6 million maintenance bond to fund additional improvements to the learning environment, safety and accessibility. It would fund needed improvements to bathrooms, locker rooms, kitchens, playgrounds and building security. Question 3 can only pass if question 2 passes. Estimated tax impact on a $300,000 home is $4.50/month.  

These three questions focus on maintaining what we have--both in terms of our operating budget and our buildings--so we can continue to deliver a strong educational program and outstanding academic and co-curricular results.  

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The Westonka School District, like school districts across the state, is working to sort out what the state budget resolution means for us. The good news is that the state has re-opened. The bad news is that by using an education payment shift to help balance the budget, they did not resolve the overall budget issues, but just pushed them further into the future.  

We are dedicated to providing the best education possible with the limited resources we are given, and we will keep you informed as we analyze the outcome and determine what it means for our students and our schools.  

Kevin Borg  

Superintendent  

Westonka Schools  

To learn more visit the referendum webpage on the district website. Please contact me anytime with questions or concerns.