Elkhorn Area School District

One of the most frequent questions that school districts and school boards get when asking their communities to vote on an operational referendum is, “How will this referendum affect my property taxes?” The estimated tax impact of EASD’s four-year $4 million non-recurring referendum on $300,000 worth of property value is $13.28 a month. That's equivalent to less than a month’s worth of a streaming service to ensure that EASD can keep neighborhood schools and avoid increasing class sizes by approximately 25%. Learn more @ elkhornschools.org

☕EASD School Board Members will be available to answer your referendum questions @ 8 a.m. at Friends on the Square on Saturday, March 22.☕ Learn more about the April 1 Operational Referendum at elkhornschools.org.

State funding has not kept up with inflation. That's why you see so many of our neighboring school districts, and over 85% of Wisconsin schools, have sought Operational Referendums in the past two years. Elkhorn is the lowest spending district in the area, asking for the lowest per pupil spending increase compared to our neighbors. The per pupil increase on the April ballot would help narrow the gap, but we'd still be below the average. Learn more by checking out the FAQ and School District Funding sections @ elkhornschools.org.

🗳️ Early In-Person Voting is now open! Make your voice heard from Tuesday, March 18 to Friday, March 28, weekdays only. Don't forget to check your polling place and hours of operation at myvote.wi.gov. 📅✨

📣 Exciting News! 🎉 The 22nd Annual Purple & Gold Fundraiser is just around the corner, and you won't want to miss it! Join us for our "Binge-Worthy Fundraiser: Sitcom Spectacular" on **Saturday, April 26, 2025**, from **5:00 PM to 9:00 PM** at **Evergreen**. 🎟️ **Early Bird Pricing:** - $65/person or $520/table until **April 4** - After April 4: $75/person or $600/table -Purchase tickets @ www.classmunity.com/elkhornwi/view-fundraiser.php?fundraiser_id=2680🎟️ 👉 Stay tuned for updates on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/elkhornwipurpleandgoldfund Have questions? Reach out to us at purpleandgoldfund@gmail.com! Mark your calendars and see you there! 💜💛

📣REMINDER: Members of the EASD School Board are hosting a Community Forum @ 6:30 p.m. tonight, Monday, March 17, at the Elkhorn Chamber of Commerce. Stop by to learn more about the EASD Operational Referendum on your April 1 ballot.📣 Can't make it in person? Join the live stream at https://youtube.com/live/_OVzGk9KcTc?feature=share

📣Members of the EASD School Board are hosting a Community Forum @ 6:30 p.m. on Monday, March 17, at the Elkhorn Chamber of Commerce. Stop by to learn more about the EASD Operational Referendum on your April 1 ballot.📣 Can't make it in person? Join the live stream at https://youtube.com/live/_OVzGk9KcTc?feature=share

☕EASD School Board Members will be available to answer your referendum questions @ 8 a.m. at The Elk Restaurant on Wednesday, March 12☕ Learn more about the April 1 Operational Referendum at elkhornschools.org and check out a complete listing of Coffee Chats and Community Forum opportunities.

🎉 Exciting Event Alert! 🎥🤖 Join us for an inspirational afternoon at the Plaza Theater in Burlington on Saturday, March 15, from 1-3:30 PM! We’re screening the family film "Rule Breakers," which highlights the incredible journey of an Afghan all-girls robotics team. ✨ Special ticket price: just $5! Come along to participate in a film discussion, see interactive VEX IQ robot demonstrations, and meet amazing STEM leaders and 'Girls Who Code' participants! Our event will be led by the inspiring Heather Mielke (BHS Mathematics Teacher, MTSS Interventionist, Reality Fair Coordinator, Educators Rising Advisor) and Elkhorn's own Eryca Card (Science Teacher, PLTW Coordinator, Makerfest Producer, STEM Club Advisor, Storybook STEM Creator, Loved Beyond Measure Coordinator)—alongside their students. Don’t miss this opportunity to celebrate education, innovation, and female empowerment! 📍Location: Plaza Theater, 448 Milwaukee Ave, Burlington Spread the word and tag your friends! Let’s inspire the next generation of changemakers! 💪🌟 #RuleBreakers #STEM #1Herd

☕EASD School Board Members will be available to answer your referendum questions @ 8 a.m. at Friends on the Square on Saturday, March 8☕ Learn more about the April 1 Operational Referendum at elkhornschools.org and check out a complete listing of Coffee Chats and Community Forum opportunities.

🏀 Join us for an exciting four weeks of skill development at Rise Up Basketball Academy! Improve your ball handling, footwork, finishing, and shooting with our expert coaches. This is a co-ed camp for students in kindergarten through 8th grade. 🌟 We’ll focus on: ✅ Mastering ball handling under pressure ✅ Changing speeds ✅ Finishing strong at the rim ✅ Proper footwork ✅ Shooting form refinement 📅 Dates: Thursdays - May 1, 8, 15, 22 📍 Location: Elkhorn High School Main Gym (Enter door 32) ⏰ Schedule: K-4th Grade: 5-6 PM 5th-8th Grade: 6-7 PM Register online @ https://easdcommunity.recdesk.com/Community/Program/Detail?programId=192 Don't miss out on this opportunity to elevate your game! 🏀💪

Our community expressed concerns about the November referendum: the cost, the length, not knowing what the district had done to tighten their belts going into a referendum, and not knowing what could be cut if a referendum were to fail - the School Board listened. • The School Board changed the ballot question from recurring to a four-year non-recurring referendum. • The School Board reduced the ask from a phased-in $7 million annual recurring to $4 million annually for four years. • The School Board published a list of budget cuts and revenue increases from 2014-15 to present on the Referendum website. • The School Board reviewed and made recommendations on over $5 million in budget cuts Visit elkhornschools.org to learn more.

🎉 Exciting news from EAHS! This past fall, seven of our talented students took on the challenge of the "Technicians of Tomorrow" competition, an elite automotive event in Southeastern Wisconsin. After a lot of hard work and dedication, we’re thrilled to announce that Ben Reed and Gabe Vorpagel qualified for the in-person finals at the Milwaukee Auto Show last Friday! Out of 14 schools, only 8 made the cut, and our duo, with the support of our dealership sponsor Kunes, went above and beyond in a rigorous all-day competition. Their efforts paid off—Elkhorn took home an impressive 2nd place! 🥈🏆 They brought home scholarships worth $1000 each, tools and equipment valued at over $4000 each, and $500 in tool vouchers for our school! Ben and Gabe impressed judges and sponsors alike, finding and repairing all 15 issues on the vehicle with time to spare. This was our second year participating, and thanks to their determination, we came home with a win! 🌟 Please join us in congratulating Ben and Gabe on this incredible achievement for both them and our program! 👏🚗 #TechniciansOfTomorrow #1Herd #GoElks

📣Members of the EASD School Board are hosting a Community Forum @ 6:30 p.m. on Monday, March 3, at Matheson Memorial Library. Stop by to learn more about the EASD Operational Referendum on your April 1 ballot.📣 Visit elkhornschools.org to learn more and check out a complete schedule of Coffee Chats and Community Forums.

Join us this Saturday, March 1 at 2 p.m. for Band-O-Rama! Enjoy live music from the 5th-8th Grade Bands, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, and Options Band. There will be a 50/50 raffle with proceeds going to help fund the 7th and 8th grade trip to the "Beyond the Notes" music festival in May. See you on Saturday!

☕EASD School Board Members will be available to answer your referendum questions @ 8 a.m. at Vasili's on Wednesday, February 26 ☕ Learn more about the April 1 Operational Referendum at elkhornschools.org and check out a complete listing of Coffee Chats and Community Forum opportunities.

Interested in learning more about the opportunities offered at the Career & College Academy? Attend an admissions event! Register online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PB7YMY7

☕EASD School Board Members will be available to answer your referendum questions @ 8 a.m. at Perk Up on Saturday, February 22 ☕ Learn more about the April 1 Operational Referendum at elkhornschools.org and check out a complete listing of Coffee Chats and Community Forum opportunities.

📣Members of the EASD School Board are hosting a Community Forum @ 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 26, at the Elkhorn Chamber of Commerce. Stop by to learn more about the EASD Operational Referendum on your April 1 ballot.📣 Visit elkhornschools.org to learn more and check out a complete schedule of Coffee Chats and Community Forums.

Trail Report Elkhorn Middle School: January 2025 was cold, and the ground was bare. And yet, increasing numbers of walkers were trekking along the trails at EAMS. Song Sparrows, Dark Eyed Juncos, and European Sparrows gathered in underbrush to shelter from the cold. Native, keystone plant species such as golden rod, aster, and many others provide winter food for birds and small mammals foraging about. Newly discovered grey squirrels have winter shelters in the tall cottonwood trees, and a busy mole scurried about under one of the benches along the far trail. Further along, furry remains confirm the existience of both rabbit and coyote existing on the property. February continues with cold turning to bitter cold and the first significant snowfalls of the season. Boots work just fine, but snow shoes or cross-country skis would be even better on trails totally snow-covered with 6 to 8” drifts in some places. Birds have been even more scarce this month. Only the most hardy birds, such as Juncos and Nuthatche,s are out foraging on the coldest of days. Gusty winds and light snow quickly cover human tracks made only hours before. In spite of severe conditions, a good samaritan or group has recently placed a number of fantastic new birdhouses along the trails. Thank you so much for these great additions.