Whitehall school board sets referendum amount

The Whitehall school board approved a resolution asking to exceed state revenue limits, but the new ask won’t be for more than taxpayers are already paying.

The board set the amount and approved the wording of a resolution asking taxpayers to allow the district to exceed the revenue limit by $1.25 million per year for the next two years. That is the same amount taxpayers approved in April of 2025 for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 school years. The question will appear on the November 2026 ballot. 

Board member Emily Herness questioned if the district should include wording related to the referendum ask being a renewal, but Superintendent Mike Beighley said the wording “to continue the approval” was recommended by the district attorney. 

Beighley said he prefers to limit the district’s referendums to two years. 

“It stays with the biennial budget; it is 50/50 on whether that is the right thing,” Beighley said. “My preference is to stay on that cycle because we have to be able to adjust to what the Legislature does or does not do.”

Beighley said there are some rumors that the Legislature will increase public school funding in the next budget, which means the district could levy less than the $1.25 million it is asking for.

“This is not a requirement to levy at all,” Beighley said. “This is simply the authority to levy up to $1.25 million. Twice in the modern era, we have not levied the maximum. So, certainly, we have proven that if there is an opportunity to not do so, we won’t.”

He added that the district doesn’t know what the state funding will be. 

“At this point, I would recommend you approve the resolution,” Beighley said. “I think it is the only option going forward based on the projections we have.”

Beighley said having the question on the ballot in November is important because it maximizes voter turnout. 

“I think we are better served when we have more voters,” Beighley said. “That is generally how we have approached everything. Eyes wide open, very direct, matter-of-fact. We want folks telling us what they want for their school.” 

Board member Stephanie Brueggen added that it will allow the district to communicate with voters when school starts in August because they’ll have captive audiences. It will also allow Beighley and board members to discuss the issue at the district’s annual meeting in October. 

The superintendent said that it is important to make voters aware of why the district is asking to exceed revenue limits.

“If there is any district that has gone to great lengths to create an awareness around this concept, it would be us,” Beighley said. “We have gone to great lengths explaining to folks what this is, why it is necessary, and we have also proven that if we don’t need it, we won’t levy it.”

Herness noted that many schools in the surrounding area and statewide are going to referendum. Beighley said that even some schools that haven’t previously done so are this year.

“This is not a local issue,” Beighley said, adding that the issue exists because of party politics. “Both parties, that is not pointing the finger at one or the other. That is simply the dysfunction that is taking place right now. Which means the issue is if we are to support our kids and provide what we need as well as support our staff and provide what we can, then we have no other choice but to do exactly what we’re doing.”

In other matters, the board:

• Approved membership renewals for both the Wisconsin Association of School Boards and Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. 

• Approved the second reading of district policies, including updates that were made by Neola, a company that updates policies for the district as well as more than 350 other districts statewide. 

The update included language referring to a new law that was passed that limits the type of communication staff members are allowed to have with students. Teachers are now required to use platforms that can track and record all communication between staff members and students. Teachers will no longer be allowed to communicate through apps such as Snapchat or TikTok, and text messages must be recorded and sent through a centralized location. Beighley said that was already a district policy, but it is now a legal requirement. 

• Heard that a full board meeting for Trempealeau Valley Cooperative 2.0 will be held on July 8 at 6:30 p.m. at the Wanek Center in Arcadia. 

• Heard an update on the after-school Community Learning Center (CLC) program from coordinator Charlotte Windjue. Beighley said it is “an exceptionally well-run program.”