Community Spirit–February 2024
Ryan Ruggles, District Administrator
Building for the Vision
In last month’s edition, I discussed some of the successes of 2023 and highlighted some of the exciting and important work that the School District of Tomorrow River has planned for 2024. As a next step to our updated Strategic Plan, we finalized the Graduate Profile Creation team and convened our first two meetings. The group has had some amazing conversations around the characteristics we want to see in all of our graduates. At the last meeting, we got to hear from several recent graduates who talked about their transition after graduation (college, technical school, and work) and shared how their experience in Amherst prepared them for their journey. There was an abundance of laughs, some tears of remembrance and a lot of inspiration.
As a next step, our Graduate Profile team will connect with another visionary group we started this year, our Technology Education Advisory Council. This is a group of local business leaders who are collaborating with our district on bridging the gap between school and the world of work expectations. This group has helped advise us on purchases for the new STEAM addition, and will likely save the district money, thanks to their knowledge, while solidifying our vision for technology education in the new STEAM area.
These visionary conversations are essential to our future as we have community discussions about addressing our current operating referendum that will expire at the end of the school year, and preparing for the replacement operating referendum on the April 2, 2024 ballot. The Board of Education’s unanimous decision to approve terms for an April 2024 ballot question regarding our school’s existing operational referendum (three years at $900,000 per year, an increase of $500,000 per year over the existing) were focused on a continuation of excellence, a strong vision for the future, and on fiscal prudence.
A little over a year ago when I was interviewing for the District Administrator position in Tomorrow River, I was asked some budgeting and finance questions. Given the limitations of the state’s funding formula, and seeing the absolute budget dilemmas that many other Wisconsin school districts are facing, this is an important topic. I talked about many budgeting examples but focused on two main funding principles. First, I believe in funding the vision, not visioning the fund. We start with our goals for the district, think about what we want for all students, and we plan our budget and spending around our goals and shared vision. Second, I talked about fiscal responsibility. I believe in consistently evaluating our practices and finding efficiencies and looking at return on investment for our budgetary choices. These principles were at the center of our planning.
Over the course of the next few months, we will continue to share more data and information around the operating referendum planning. This will include a closer look at our academic outcomes. The Tomorrow River School District’s most recent Wisconsin Department of Instruction (DPI) report card scored us as Exceeds Expectations with a score of 71.6, ranking our district second among the 19 school districts across the Central Wisconsin Conference. Our ACT (American College Testing) score at Amherst High School currently stands at 20.4, ranking us first among those same 19 schools. Where we score lower in that group is spending per student. We are a high achieving, low spending district, and while we are asking for an increase in the operating referendum, we are committed to fiscal responsibility. This will include a continuation of our successful efforts to seek alternative funding sources and donations.
There will be much more to come between now and April 2, and I look forward to the process of telling even more people the story of our amazing district, our vision and our needs. I also love personal conversations and welcome the opportunity to speak with you in person, via email or phone. We are creating something truly special in Amherst and somewhat rare if you look across the state’s educational landscape today. As always, I am humbled by the opportunity to be a part of and serve this community.