SDWD Newsletter, January 2025

Please take a moment to review this month’s edition of our e-newsletter. District officials have put together various articles to keep our district’s constituents up-to-date on a variety of topics at all levels of our schools. If you need additional information, please do not hesitate to reach out. Thank you!

Dear School District of Wisconsin Dells Community Members,

Happy New Year! A reminder to all that a full day of classes is scheduled to resume Thursday, January 2, 2025. For our high school students, Friday, January 17, 2025, marks the end of the first semester, making this date the midway point of the school year. The start of the second semester provides high school students an opportunity to take some new elective courses in the second half of the school year. Parents, I encourage you to have ongoing conversations with your children about their future career aspirations, as students often can change their minds. The courses they take must ensure they possess the academic skills to succeed beyond high school. As I frequently do, I want to emphasize the importance of students demonstrating consistent attendance. As easy as it may sound, students who demonstrate regular attendance and participate in athletics or clubs often have an overall grade point average nearly a point higher than students who have spotty attendance and don't participate in any school activities. After transitioning to the second semester for our high school students, our elementary students will mark the 100th day of the school year by celebrating this milestone in their math classes.

2025-26 BUDGET FORECAST & SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING

The district will begin outlining the 2025-26 budget forecast in late January. Without a healthy increase in state aid, the district is anticipated to demonstrate a budget shortfall. As such, the district is currently planning to make some budgetary adjustments and use some fund balance set aside during the previous three-year cycle. It was projected that this would likely be the case during the final year of the four-year operating referendum cycle. What is unknown at this time is what the State of Wisconsin's biennium budget for 2025-27 will look like. ...READ MORE

How Parents Can Foster a Growth Mindset

By: Kimberly Torkelson, Associate Principal of Spring Hill Elementary

A growth mindset, the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort, learning, and persistence, is a powerful tool in fostering resilience, perseverance, and a love of learning in children. Developed by psychologist Carol Dweck, the concept of a growth mindset contrasts with a fixed mindset, where individuals believe that their abilities are static and unchangeable. Here are five practical strategies for promoting a growth mindset at home. ...READ MORE

Rural Virtual Academy Application Window Will Open February 3, 2025.

By: Brian Grove, Director of Curriculum & Instruction

The virtual school enrollment window for the 2025-26 school year will open on February 3^rd and close on April 30^th, 2025. SDWD families who might be interested in having children attend school virtually full time during the 2025-26 school year will be able to enroll in Rural Virtual School (RVA). SDWD and RVA have a partnership for virtual students. Students stay enrolled in SDWD but attend school virtually through RVA. If this is something you might be interested in for 2025-26 we encourage you to follow the link at the bottom of this page to get more information on RVA. ...READ MORE

The Happy Kids Network

The Happy Kids Network, a local nonprofit organization, and the School District of Wisconsin Dells provide the required school supplies for ALL students in grades 4K through 5th grade for the 2024-25 school year. Supplies for middle and high school students are available through your child's school counselor.

We want ALL students to start their first day of school ready to learn!