Local
Elmbrook voters to weigh $100 million plan for four aging schools
The district’s November referendum would fund renovations at two elementary and two middle schools, including accessibility upgrades and expanded learning spaces. Elmbrook estimates a $600,000 home would face an additional $66 a year for 20 years if the measure passes.
ELM GROVE, Wis. — Elmbrook School District is asking voters to approve $100 million in November for improvements at four schools, including renovations intended to address aging buildings, student access and growing enrollment.
The proposed work covers Tonawanda and Swanson elementary schools and Wisconsin Hills and Pilgrim Park middle schools. The buildings included in the plan were constructed between 1958 and 1969, district Chief Strategy Officer Chris Thompson said.
Pilgrim Park Middle School would receive the largest share: $50.368 million. The proposed allocations are $33.717 million for Tonawanda, $9.526 million for Swanson and $6.389 million for Wisconsin Hills.
At Pilgrim Park, a new hallway would give students another route to the school’s elective wing. Principal Kelly Szesterniak said about 300 students currently use the same hallway to reach electives at once. Plans also include changes aimed at making the building more accessible, such as ramps between hallways and a fitness room that students with mobility limitations could reach.
The school is expected to have more than 1,000 students next year, Thompson said. He also said middle-school engineering spaces have been adapted over time rather than redesigned for programs such as robotics.
The district estimates that passage would add 11 cents to the current mill rate, bringing it to 67 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. That equates to $67 per $100,000 of value; for a home assessed at $600,000, the district estimates an increase of $66 annually for 20 years.
The district says that if it does not seek new borrowing, existing debt is expected to be paid off in 2028, lowering the mill rate by 56 cents. By coordinating the proposed borrowing with that debt retirement, officials estimate the net tax impact would be 11 cents per $1,000 of value rather than the full 67-cent rate. The district provides an online calculator for residents to estimate the effect on their own tax bills.
The referendum would be Elmbrook’s first since 2008. Thompson said the building needs are part of the district’s 20-year facilities plan and would remain even if voters reject the proposal. The district has not ruled out bringing a referendum back to voters in that case.
Community tours and information sessions are scheduled ahead of the November vote, according to the district.