The following is the text of a letter dated April 14, 2015 that was sent by the Monroe school board to all district residents:
Dear Monroe School District Parents / Guardians and Community Members,
This letter is to provide you with important information about the School District of Monroe and to ask for your help. Over the past few years, the State has made significant changes in terms of how Wisconsin public schools operate. We have worked diligently to incorporate the state mandated changes that have been part of the last two state budgets. Thankfully, the School District of Monroe has been able to utilize our fund balance as well as the support from grants and other outside resources to help neutralize the effects of the decreasing state funding on our budgets. However, without fundamental changes from our legislators, we can no longer afford to continue operating as we have in the past.
Last night, the Board of Education passed a resolution designed to inform you as well as Governor Walker and our legislators of the negative impact to the School District of Monroe from the Governor's proposed 2015-2017 budget. A copy of the resolution is attached for your review. The resolution emphasizes that the proposed elimination of the $150 funding per student will cost our district $375,000 and by eliminating increases to the revenue limit, the combined effect to our budget approaches $1,000,000. This does not include the cost of rising utilities, salaries and benefits, transportation and other expenses facing our district.
Our school motto is "Preparing for the Future, One Child at a Time." While we believe that our students and teachers are pushed to strive to the highest levels, without your help that motto is in jeopardy. Previously, state law provided us with a yearly revenue limit increase over $250 per student. While we are not asking for anything near that given the state's current budgetary concerns, we believe that allowing for some small increase in the revenue limit and restoring the $150 per student state aid that was in place this year is a reasonable and responsible way to provide the best quality education to our students and the best return for Monroe taxpayers. We constantly strive for continuous improvement in our schools and refuse to settle for the status quo, and your advocacy will demonstrate this principle. Please write a letter, send an email, or call our local legislators and impress upon them the importance of restoring an appropriate level of funding for our schools. Their contact information is as follows:
Representative Todd Novak
P.O. Box 8953
Madison, Wisconsin 53708
Phone: 608-266-7502
Email: rep.novak@legis.wisconsin.gov
Senator Howard Marklein
P.O. Box 7882
Madison, Wisconsin 53707
Phone: 608-266-0703
Email: sen.marklein@legis.wi.gov
Governor Scott Walker
115 East Capitol
Madison, Wisconsin 53702
Phone: 608-266-1212
Email: govgeneral@wisconsin.gov
In addition, there are other proposed policy changes being discussed in the State Legislature that we feel are harmful to public education and to the School District of Monroe. Some of those are as follows:
• Expansion of Private School Vouchers: As proposed, these vouchers would be funded from public school dollars from the district in which the voucher student resides. Voucher schools use your tax dollars, which are taken from the local public schools. Voucher schools are not accountable to the taxpayers for their academic performance. Although the financial impact is impossible to calculate at this time, the net result will certainly be less state funding for K-12 public schools in Wisconsin.
• Educational policy changes including attacks to the Common Core State Standards, changes to school accountability, assessments, teacher preparation and licensure.
The School District of Monroe has great schools, great teachers and great students. The investment we make in public education today will help shape a positive educational and economic future for our community. If you have any questions about the Board's resolution, the impact of the Governor's budget on the School District of Monroe or any other matters, please feel free to contact any member listed below as they are all willing to speak with you. Their contact information can also be found on the school's website. Thank you for your help.
Cory Hirsbrunner - Superintendent
coryhirsbrunner@monroe.k12.wi.us
328-7135
Michael Boehme - BOE Deputy Clerk
michaelboehme@monroe.k12.wi.us
329-6050
Ron Olson - Business Manager
ronolson@monroe.k12.wi.us
328-7148
Dan Bartholf - BOE Member
danbartholf@monroe.k12.wi.us
329-5911
Bob Erb - BOE President
boberb@monroe.k12.wi.us
325-8028
Mary Berger - BOE Member
maryberger@monroe.k12.wi.us
325-5233
Scott Schmidt - BOE Vice-President
scottschmidt@monroe.k12.wi.us
934-5424
Les Bieneman - BOE Member
lesbieneman@monroe.k12.wi.us
325-9726
Brian Keith - BOE Treasurer
briankeith@monroe.k12.wi.us
328-2626
Jim Plourde - BOE Member
jimplourde@monroe.k12.wi.us
325-6059
Amy Bazley - BOE Clerk
amybazley@monroe.k12.wi.us
328-2730
Dear Monroe School District Parents / Guardians and Community Members,
This letter is to provide you with important information about the School District of Monroe and to ask for your help. Over the past few years, the State has made significant changes in terms of how Wisconsin public schools operate. We have worked diligently to incorporate the state mandated changes that have been part of the last two state budgets. Thankfully, the School District of Monroe has been able to utilize our fund balance as well as the support from grants and other outside resources to help neutralize the effects of the decreasing state funding on our budgets. However, without fundamental changes from our legislators, we can no longer afford to continue operating as we have in the past.
Last night, the Board of Education passed a resolution designed to inform you as well as Governor Walker and our legislators of the negative impact to the School District of Monroe from the Governor's proposed 2015-2017 budget. A copy of the resolution is attached for your review. The resolution emphasizes that the proposed elimination of the $150 funding per student will cost our district $375,000 and by eliminating increases to the revenue limit, the combined effect to our budget approaches $1,000,000. This does not include the cost of rising utilities, salaries and benefits, transportation and other expenses facing our district.
Our school motto is "Preparing for the Future, One Child at a Time." While we believe that our students and teachers are pushed to strive to the highest levels, without your help that motto is in jeopardy. Previously, state law provided us with a yearly revenue limit increase over $250 per student. While we are not asking for anything near that given the state's current budgetary concerns, we believe that allowing for some small increase in the revenue limit and restoring the $150 per student state aid that was in place this year is a reasonable and responsible way to provide the best quality education to our students and the best return for Monroe taxpayers. We constantly strive for continuous improvement in our schools and refuse to settle for the status quo, and your advocacy will demonstrate this principle. Please write a letter, send an email, or call our local legislators and impress upon them the importance of restoring an appropriate level of funding for our schools. Their contact information is as follows:
Representative Todd Novak
P.O. Box 8953
Madison, Wisconsin 53708
Phone: 608-266-7502
Email: rep.novak@legis.wisconsin.gov
Senator Howard Marklein
P.O. Box 7882
Madison, Wisconsin 53707
Phone: 608-266-0703
Email: sen.marklein@legis.wi.gov
Governor Scott Walker
115 East Capitol
Madison, Wisconsin 53702
Phone: 608-266-1212
Email: govgeneral@wisconsin.gov
In addition, there are other proposed policy changes being discussed in the State Legislature that we feel are harmful to public education and to the School District of Monroe. Some of those are as follows:
• Expansion of Private School Vouchers: As proposed, these vouchers would be funded from public school dollars from the district in which the voucher student resides. Voucher schools use your tax dollars, which are taken from the local public schools. Voucher schools are not accountable to the taxpayers for their academic performance. Although the financial impact is impossible to calculate at this time, the net result will certainly be less state funding for K-12 public schools in Wisconsin.
• Educational policy changes including attacks to the Common Core State Standards, changes to school accountability, assessments, teacher preparation and licensure.
The School District of Monroe has great schools, great teachers and great students. The investment we make in public education today will help shape a positive educational and economic future for our community. If you have any questions about the Board's resolution, the impact of the Governor's budget on the School District of Monroe or any other matters, please feel free to contact any member listed below as they are all willing to speak with you. Their contact information can also be found on the school's website. Thank you for your help.
Cory Hirsbrunner - Superintendent
coryhirsbrunner@monroe.k12.wi.us
328-7135
Michael Boehme - BOE Deputy Clerk
michaelboehme@monroe.k12.wi.us
329-6050
Ron Olson - Business Manager
ronolson@monroe.k12.wi.us
328-7148
Dan Bartholf - BOE Member
danbartholf@monroe.k12.wi.us
329-5911
Bob Erb - BOE President
boberb@monroe.k12.wi.us
325-8028
Mary Berger - BOE Member
maryberger@monroe.k12.wi.us
325-5233
Scott Schmidt - BOE Vice-President
scottschmidt@monroe.k12.wi.us
934-5424
Les Bieneman - BOE Member
lesbieneman@monroe.k12.wi.us
325-9726
Brian Keith - BOE Treasurer
briankeith@monroe.k12.wi.us
328-2626
Jim Plourde - BOE Member
jimplourde@monroe.k12.wi.us
325-6059
Amy Bazley - BOE Clerk
amybazley@monroe.k12.wi.us
328-2730