VILLAGE OF WESTON, WI (WSAU) — Leaders, students, and faculty in the DC Everest school district held a ceremonial groundbreaking Tuesday to kick off nearly $60 million in improvements to the district’s facilities.
Superintendent Dr. Kristine Gilmore said it marks the start of what will be a three-year process in improving the district’s facilities in several areas including ADA compliance, safety, and overall functionality. “You’ll be seeing a lot of phases over the next three years. This summer will bring significant work at the high school, junior high, and Rothschild elementary.”
Over those three years, Gilmore says planners will have to juggle how to keep the buildings functional while still getting the work done. “All of our schools have to be operational, we don’t have extra space here. So we have to work around the important work that we do each day. Unfortunately, summer is not that long in Wisconsin.”
Tuesday’s groundbreaking was held at the Senior High in Weston, where Gilmore says workers will add eight full classrooms to the building and completely gut and remodel others, with an emphasis on the career and tech ed area.
The referendum was passed in April with more than 70% of voters saying yes to the property tax increase. However, the latest data from the district and the state suggest that for some taxes may actually go down due to increased district enrollment and aid from the state along with changes in equalized value.
She adds that other buildings will have their own groundbreaking ceremonies when their projects come up over the next three years as a way of saying thank you to supporters of those schools for helping to carry the referendum across the finish line.
