TalonTimes
Newsletter of Southern Door School District
Our District, Our Story, Our Future: Building Brighter Tomorrows Together
Volume 41 Issue 2
A Note from the Superintendent As we move through this holiday season, I hope it brings your family connection and moments of joy. Here at Southern Door, the 2025–2026 school year is off to an inspiring start. Our fall sports teams and extracurricular groups wrapped up their seasons with tremendous finishes, and our winter activities are well underway. We are also proud to share that this year’s DPI Report Cards for our elementary, middle, and high school—and for the district as a whole—show continued growth from the previous year. These successes reflect something special: a school community that cares deeply about students. Every day, our dedicated staff, families, and community partners work together to foster a warm, challenging, and uplifting learning environment where young people can thrive academical-
Community Input Driving the Path Forward As mentioned in the Superintendent’s note, the Southern Door County School District continues its thoughtful planning for an operational referendum, informed by strong participation in the recent Strategic Priorities Survey. A total of 654 individuals—including students, families, employees, and community residents—shared their perspectives on what matters most for the future of our schools. This collective input provides more than data; it offers a community-driven roadmap. These insights will directly support the Board of Education and administrative team as they determine both the need and appropriate financial scope for a potential referendum this spring. What We Heard: Key Themes From the Survey Respondents were asked to rank ten priority areas. While each stakeholder group had its own perspective, several themes rose to the top across the district. When looking at the results from All Respondents, the top five strategic priorities show a strong commitment to both the well-being and operational health of the district. This overall ranking aligns very closely with the priorities identified by our Parents/ Community Members and District Employees groups. In fact, these three groups (All Respondents, Parents/Community Members, and District Employees) identified the exact same five areas as their top priorities, differing only slightly in the specific ranking order. This strong consensus across most adult groups highlights a unified vision for key op-
ly, socially, and emotionally. I am deeply grateful for the strength of these partnerships. As we celebrate these accomplishments, we must also look ahead with clarity and purpose. The funding provided through our current operational referendum expires at the end of this school year. To maintain strong programming, staffing, and the high-quality learning experiences our students deserve, we must secure additional funding to bridge the gap between rising costs and lacking state funds. The additional funding will also help us avoid deficit spending that has been required for several years, depleting our reserves to a dangerously low level, and forcing us into shortterm borrowing to support cash flow needs.
erational and foundational needs.
The recently completed Strategic Priorities Survey gave the Board of Education and administrative team valuable insight as we begin shaping the scope of a potential referendum. The community’s voice is helping guide this work— ensuring that our financial planning supports both the district’s long-term stability and the educational excellence that defines Southern Door. Thank you for your ongoing support of our students and schools. Together, we are building bright futures—today and for years to come. Dr. Kevin Krutzik Superintendent
Road to Referendum: What Comes Next
Our students brought forward a distinct focus, prioritizing Athletics & Extra-Curricular Programs as their number one priority, followed by Fine Arts & Co-Curricular Programs as their fifth. This highlights the high value students place on the activities and experiences that complement their core academic learning. Importantly, however, the student list still shares a significant overlap with the non-student groups: three of the students’ top five priorities are also on the top five list for every other group. This overlap shows that while students prioritize the vibrancy of school life, they are equally invested in a safe, functional, and financially stable learning environment.
Stakeholder Group
The survey results are an essential building block in the district’s preparation for the potential April 7, 2026 voting date. Several important steps are ahead: • December 2025 – Board Planning: The Board will review progress to date and begin shaping the potential referendum question, including the financial scope and estimated impact on the tax/mill rate. • January 2026 – Board Action: The Board is scheduled to consider taking action on approving the official referendum resolution and ballot language.
Top 5 Priority Areas
All Survey Respondents
1) 2) 3) 4) 5)
Safety & Security Enrollment, Operations & Financial Responsibility Staff Recruitment & Retention Facilities Maintenance Student Achievement & District Report Card Outcomes
Parents/Community Members
1) 2) 3) 4) 5)
Staff Recruitment & Retention Safety & Security Enrollment, Operations & Financial Responsibility Student Achievement & District Report Card Outcomes Facilities Maintenance
District Employees
1) 2) 3) 4) 5)
Staff Recruitment & Retention Enrollment, Operations & Financial Responsibility Facilities Maintenance Safety & Security Student Achievement & District Report Card Outcomes
Students
1) 2) 3) 4) 5)
Athletics & Extra-Curricular Programs Safety & Security Enrollment, Operations & Financial Responsibility Facilities Maintenance Fine Arts & Co-Curricular Programs
To support clear communication and responsible planning, the district is organizing its work around four core pillars: 1. District Points of Pride Highlighting district accomplishments, high-performing programs, and student achievements. 2. Cost-Saving Measures Implemented Previously Outlining cost-saving measures already implemented, past budget reductions, and ongoing needs that cannot be addressed without additional funding. 3. Operational Referendum Investments and Programming Presenting the proposed operational referendum amount, priority allocations, and projected mill rate effects. 4. Reductions if Referendum Does Not Pass Identifying the reductions that would likely be necessary if the referendum does not pass. Moving Forward Together We are grateful for the involvement, care, and candor shown through the community survey. Your voices continue to guide the important work ahead. As the operational referendum planning progresses, the district will share updates and opportunities to stay informed. Thank you for being an essential part of the Southern Door story—and for helping ensure that our students, families, and community continue to experience the high-quality education they deserve.
Southern Door School District Announces 2024-25 DPI Report Card Scores The Southern Door County School District is pleased to announce that the district and all 3 three schools have met or exceeded expectations on the Report Card from the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) for the 2024-25 school year. This remarkable achievement is a testament to the hard work and commitment of our staff, students, and parents/guardians, who should all take great pride in this success.
The state accountability report cards summarize student performance and engagement for each school and the district overall. The report card includes four priority areas — Achievement, Growth, Target Group Outcomes, and On-Track to Graduation— each of which is scored. The district and each school within it have also been assigned an accountability rating and overall score.
Southern Door County School District - DPI Report Card State Rating/Overall Scores State Rating
2024-25
2023-24
2022-23
2021-22
2020-21
District:
Exceeds Expectations
75.4
72.6
75.5
72.6
71.5
Elementary:
Exceeds Expectations
81.6
78.3
77.6
75.6
78.0
Middle:
Exceeds Expectations
80.2
77.3
82.6
78.6
76.4
High School:
Meets Expectations
68.3
65.1
65.4
61.7
60.4
According to the State of Wisconsin DPI Report Card Achievement Priority Area Score: • Southern Door County School District performed the same or higher than 84.7% of all districts in the state (82.6% in 2023-24 and 81.3% in 2022-23) • Southern Door Elementary School performed the same or higher than 70.5% of all K-5 schools in the state (76.3% in 2023-24 and 78.6% in 2022-23) • Southern Door Middle School performed the same or higher than 87.1% of all 6-8 schools in the state (83.9% in 2023-24 and 80.5% in 2022-23) • Southern Door High School performed the
same or higher than 78.6% of all 9-12 schools in the state (69.1% in 2023-24 and 67.9% in 2022-23) As Southern Door celebrates the dedication and accomplishments of our students and staff, we are reminded that education is a continuous journey of growth and improvement. Our strong results reflect not only the hard work happening in our classrooms, but also the collective commitment of our entire school community. At Southern Door, we remain focused on refining our practices, expanding opportunities, and ensuring every student is supported in reaching their fullest potential. We are deeply grateful for the trust, partnership, and encouragement of our families, staff, and community members, whose support makes these successes possible and drives us forward together.
Pieschek Named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist
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Southern Door School District Art Show THURSDAY, APRIL 23RD | 5:00–7:00 PM Get ready to blast off into creativity! Mark your calendars for our annual district-wide Art Show and fundraiser - this year’s theme is “Out of This World!” Our halls will be transformed into a galaxy filled with imagination, color, and incredible student artwork. Families are invited to explore interactive art stations, view stunning displays from all grade levels, and celebrate our talented young artists. From painted planets to cosmic creatures, this is a night you won’t want to miss! Come support our student artists as they shine bright like stars— hope to see you there!
Professional Development and Assessment Update from the CSS & DAC
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More Than a Scoreboard: Celebrating Student-Athlere Achievements
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