CRIVITZ – The referendum project approved in 2024 is approaching the construction phase, with the Crivitz School Board expected to select bids in October.
C.D. Smith, the company managing the project for the school district, is going through the bids received and contacting bidders for qualifications, said Superintendent Kelly Robinson at the Sept. 22 school board meeting. “There’s a lot. We want to split it up for you to be able to look through each of them,” Robinson said to the board. Initial numbers indicate the project is under budget.
The $29 million referendum project voters approved included $23 million for various capital improvements, including new kindergarten and 4K classrooms, Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant bathrooms, secure office entry, new library and roof replacement.
The other $6 million was earmarked for career and technical education. It was expected to result in a property tax increase of about $133 annually per $100,000 of property value.
The school district is working with Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Forester Steve Kaufman to facilitate a timber auction in October, involving an 80-acre property, with bids due Oct. 10 and a bid opening scheduled for Oct. 13 at 1 p.m., Robinson said. The bids will be brought to the school board for approval.
Auctions are held when the school forest needs to be thinned, said Kaufman, who works for the DNR in Oconto Falls. Kaufman told a reporter the DNR has worked with school forests for decades.
“The Wisconsin DNR provides free tree seedlings to school forests. All registered school forests have long-term school forest plans, and the revenue from any timber sales go back to the school district,” Kaufman said. This year’s harvest involves about 35 acres in the school district forest located in the Town of Stephenson on School Forest Road Kaufman said. Students planted red pine seedlings there in 1948 that are now large tree stands in need of thinning, he said.
The forest was last trimmed in 2011, when Marshal Geise of Crivitz cut the timber harvest, he said.
With Homecoming Week scheduled for Sept. 29 to Oct. 3, the school has planned daily events, such as a 1980s themed day on Thursday, a bonfire scheduled around the girls volleyball game and a blue-and-gold day Friday, said Jeff Baumann, high school principal. The Homecoming parade and football game are scheduled for Friday. The Homecoming dance is scheduled for 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday evening.
The math, science and English departments completed the first round of grade-level testing with a new assessment, called Progress Learning, instead of the Measure of Academic Performance (MAP) assessment, Baumann said. The Progress Learning assessments closely resemble the ACT exam and pre-ACT test used for college entry and state report card data, the school district said.
“We’ll use it for the rest of the school year and then decide whether to continue with it or move back to MAPs or try the Star testing software,” Baumann said.
The district’s community education program reported a strong turnout to its football program, which includes flag football, said Julie Patefield, the community education supervisor. Over 400 people attend youth football games. A fall craft show attracted over 65 vendors to showcase their wares. The community education program plans to offer computer classes for the elderly. Marinette County Senior Services is conducting a survey of area seniors to gauge interest in certain programs.
IT Specialist Lindsey Schramm has resigned from her post after serving for about two years. The school board accepted her resignation at the meeting.
Three board members were absent from the meeting, including Sonny Graese, Kim Hanson and Kaitlin Deschane. Those in attendance included Board President Amy Grandaw and board members Kris Heidewald, Lyle Cherry, and Cory Siebert.
No comments were made during the time for public input. The board went into a closed session to discuss a discrimination complaint and took no action when it emerged about 40 minutes later.
The October School Board meeting was moved to Oct. 20, five days after the numbers become available to set the 2025-26 levy, Robinson said.
At a budget hearing held Aug. 25, Sarah Jones, business administrative assistant at the school district, presented preliminary financial information for the 2025-26 annual meeting, while an agenda packet contained additional financial information, including mill rates. With an equalized value of $1.62 billion for properties feeding into Crivitz School District, which is the 2024 assessed valuation amount, a millage rate of 6.04 mills would generate a $9.8 million levy for the district. With an equalized value of $1.8 billion, a millage rate of 5.45 mills would produce about the same levy amount. The amount of tax individual property owners will be expected to pay varies by the assessed value of their property, assessors said.
This year’s equalized valuation is more than double the 2015 valuation of $848.59 million, when the millage rate was higher at 8.37 mills, according to information the district provided in August. As the equalized valuations rose during the past several years, the mill rate decreased, dropping to a low of 4.80 in 2022, when the levy fell to $5.9 million.
The school district’s levy rose to $7.2 million the following year in 2023 with a millage rate of 5.16, then to $9.34 million in 2024 with a millage rate of 5.80.
On average, the millage rate for all districts was 7.05 mills in 2024-2025, according to information the school district presented. In Marinette County, Crivitz School District has had one of the lower millage rates at 5.80 mills in 2024-25, compared with 7.20 mills for Peshtigo School District and 6.62 mills for Marinette School District. Wausaukee School District’s millage rate is the lowest in the county at 4.14 mills in 2024-25.
At the August annual meeting, the board approved a levy of $9.79 million, including $7.83 million for defraying the cost of operations and maintenance of the public school, $1.93 million for debt-service fund 39, and $30,000 for community service fund 80 for school year 2025-26. The actual tax levy is scheduled to be set at the October School Board meeting, which was moved to Oct. 20, five days after the required numbers are expected to be available to determine the levy, Jones said.
At the July school board meeting, Robinson said the district’s state education aid was reduced about 25% because of increased property values.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here