FAQs

On Monday, January 27, 2020, the Mequon-Thiensville School District Board of Education voted unanimously to place a referendum question on the ballot for Tuesday, April 7, 2020.

The board approved the measure after reviewing an administrative recommendation that was informed by several components, including the development of a long-range master plan for facilities, the work of a Community Task Force and the results of a community-wide survey.

The question on the ballot will ask residents of Mequon and Thiensville to approve $55.7 million in general obligation bonds to address capacity concerns due to enrollment growth by funding additions and renovated spaces, as well as enhancing district-wide safety and security.

Is the Mequon-Thiensville School District asking for community support for facilities projects through a referendum vote?

After extensive review of facility needs, long-range planning, and community engagement, the MTSD Board of Education has approved placing a referendum question on the April 7, 2020 ballot. Voters will be asked to respond to the following question:

Shall the Mequon-Thiensville School District, Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, be authorized to issue pursuant to Chapter 67 of the Wisconsin Statutes, general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $55,700,000 for the public purpose of paying the cost of a District-wide school facilities improvement project consisting of: District-wide safety, security, site and ADA improvements and renovations; construction of additions at the Elementary Schools and the Middle Schools; and acquisition of furnishings, fixtures and equipment?

What process has been used to evaluate the district's needs?

We began a process to thoroughly assess facilities and learning environments in fall 2018. Environments were analyzed for their capacity to support projected enrollment growth; provide flexible, safe and secure environments; support community recreation and athletic usage; and manage ongoing infrastructure maintenance needs. The process culminated in the development of a comprehensive Long-Range Master Plan for facilities.

Upon completion of the long-range master plan, a Community Task Force was assembled to review and consider the plan and other information, establish priorities, and make recommendations to district leaders and the board of education regarding identified facilities issues.

Last fall, the Community Task Force met six times to prioritize the needs identified in the district's Long-Range Master Plan for Facilities and explore next steps. The task force's principal recommendations indicated the district should take action to address capacity challenges related to enrollment growth and bolster safety and security.

Following receipt of the recommendations of the task force, community members were invited to participate in a community-wide survey. The survey, which was open November 19 through December 4, received a total of 1,167 completed responses. It asked stakeholders to review the district's facility needs and provide their input on how those needs should be best addressed. 85 percent of survey respondents indicated that they believed the district’s facility needs must be addressed now.

In January 2020, the Mequon-Thiensville School District Board of Education voted to place a referendum question on the ballot for Tuesday, April 7, 2020. The board approved the measure after reviewing an administrative recommendation that was informed by the development of a long-range master plan for facilities, the work of the Community Task Force and the results of a community-wide survey.

What are the district's facility needs?

Prioritized needs of the Mequon-Thiensville School District include:

Enrollment & Growth:

Two recently completed studies predict significant enrollment growth at the elementary level in the coming years. With each of our elementary schools already operating near or over its ideal capacity, we do not have adequate classroom and core learning space to accommodate our elementary school students.

Safety & Security:

The Mequon-Thiensville School District is committed to providing safe, secure, and accessible facilities for every student. Site circulation and traffic flow are ongoing challenges at all campuses, creating significant congestion and potential safety hazards. Robust co-curriculars, rentals, and recreation department activities at all campuses present challenges in controlling visitor access within buildings outside of the school day. Our schools also contain areas that are inaccessible or difficult to use for those with mobility impairments. These areas include restrooms, playground equipment, and elevated stage spaces.

Is district enrollment growing?

Each of the district’s elementary schools is currently operating near or over its ideal capacity. A series of studies, the most recent of which was conducted in 2019, predict that enrollment will increase by more than 350 students in the next 10 years. Most of this growth is expected at the elementary level. The district has inadequate classroom and core learning space to accommodate these students.

Learn more about the methodology used to develop enrollment projections and review reports.

What did the Community Task Force study and ultimately recommend?

The assembly of a task force follows a long-standing practice of engaging the community through ad-hoc committee structures tasked with exploring district-wide issues and strategic planning. The task force met in fall 2019 to engage in their review and work to develop recommendations. Meeting notes and the final recommendations of the task force are available online for community review.

How has the community been engaged and informed?

When was the last time MTSD asked the community for support through a referendum? What was that money used for?

On April 7, 2015, voters in Mequon and Thiensville approved an $18.2 million referendum for district-wide improvements in the Mequon-Thiensville School District. The referendum financed $14.4 million in capital improvements, including the replacement of roofs, windows and boilers at several school buildings and renovations to Homestead High School’s auditorium.

The 2015 referendum also included $3.8 million for student-centered learning environments at the middle and high school levels, including upgrades and renovations of the existing libraries at Lake Shore and Steffen middle schools and the lecture hall at Homestead High School. These projects were completed in 2016. We are grateful for the community’s support for these projects.

Other projects not funded by the referendum were also completed in 2016. A multipurpose outdoor community pavilion space was constructed on the Homestead High School campus, and a total of seven student-centered classrooms were added to our three elementary schools—two at Donges Bay, two at Oriole Lane and three at Wilson. These projects were funded through proceeds from a district-owned land sale in 2014.

Today, space for students and the ever-evolving reality of school safety and security are our biggest challenges. Our elementary schools are already at or near classroom capacity, and many common areas are undersized to serve our students. A recently completed study predicts enrollment will grow by 350 students over the next 10 years, with most growth projected at the elementary level.

What would a community-approved referendum fund?

A community-approved referendum would fund projects related to Growth & Capacity and Safety & Security. These categories reflect the highest priorities of the community task force and our stakeholders as we heard through the community-wide survey last fall.

Growth & Capacity

Create additions and renovations at three elementary schools to increase space available for core classrooms, art, physical education, music, and special education
Expand cafeterias at the elementary and middle schools
Renovate targeted spaces at the middle schools including music and specialist classrooms to support current needs

Access detailed enrollment studies.

Safety & Security

Improve traffic circulation and parking lot queuing space at all schools
Make restrooms and playgrounds more accessible for those with mobility impairments
Create a more identifiable main entrance at Homestead High School and make district-wide improvements to control visitor access
Connect to municipal water and enhance fire suppression and alarm systems at the elementary and middle schools

Learn more about the safety & security measures already in place in our schools.

What is the property tax implication of a successful referendum? How long is the obligation for referendum debt?

Tax Impact

A referendum financing $55.7 million would result in an estimated mill rate increase of $0.30 over the current 2019-20 levy for referendum debt. If approved by voters, the proposed debt would be repaid over a 21-year period.

Property Value	Per Year	Per Month
$100,000	$30	$2.50
$200,000	$60	$5
$400,000	$120	$10
$600,000	$180	$15

*Represents increase over current tax payments for debt.

Access a tax calculator with planning assumptions to calculate the impact of the referendum on your taxes.

Why can't the school district use Range Line, the school that was shuttered when enrollment was declining, to address future growth needs?

Reopening Range Line was one of the options that were explored in the initial stages of long-range master facilities planning. It was determined that it was not an option that we could pursue because of the following.

It would be as expensive or nearly as expensive to reopen Range Line as a school as it would be to build a new, modern, and ADA accessible school facility. Rough facilities costs to reopen Range Line as a school were estimated at around $30 million.
A key consideration is that in addition to costs associated with refurbishing the building, it would require a significant annual increase in operating expenses to staff a new school building. An additional school building requires a cadre of staff, including an administrator, teachers, support staff, and facility staff members. Creating additions at our current schools is a more cost-effective approach than adding a fourth elementary school.
The existing Range Line facility provides well-utilized space for Mequon-Thiensville Community Recreation programs. To reopen Range Line as a school, the district would also be faced with the challenge of finding a new place for existing programming that is currently housed at Range Line, with expenses related to that transition.