25-26 Annual Meeting & Budget Hearing - Monday, Sept 21st at 6:00pm. HS/MS Room 229. Board Agendas may be found at this link: https://sites.google.com/viroquablackhawk.org/board-agendas
With less than two months until election day, we are actively taking steps to ensure community members have the information they need about the proposed operational referendum for Viroqua Area Schools.
Our new website, www.vasreferendum.org, has been created to serve as a central hub for details about the operational referendum and the role this funding tool has played in our annual budget for more than 20 years. There, you can find information about the financial challenges VAS faces, answers to frequently asked questions, and a contact form for submitting your own questions.
We are also committed to engaging directly with community members to help everyone understand the importance of operational referendums in our district. Two Referendum Feedback Forums are planned for Thursday, September 17 and Monday, October 5. Each of these gatherings will be from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. in Room 229 at the high school. Administrators will be on hand to provide a brief presentation and to answer questions.
On Wednesday, September 30, we are hosting a Lunch and Learn session, also in room 229 at the high school, from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. Bring your lunch and join us to learn more about the referendum and share your thoughts.
If you’re an early riser, you can grab your morning coffee and join me for a referendum discussion on Tuesday, October 20, from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. at the Viroqua Food Co-op (609 N. Main St., Viroqua). This will be a “come and go” opportunity for you to drop in, purchase your coffee, ask questions, and get answers. There will not be a formal presentation interrupting your coffee.
Updates about these events and more information about the operational referendum will be regularly posted here and on the district’s social media pages, so be sure to follow along for updates. We will also be distributing mailers to district residents.
Thank you for your continued support of VAS and for your engagement on this important issue. We look forward to seeing many of you between now and the election on November 3.
Like many school districts throughout Wisconsin, we face financial challenges that make it difficult to continue providing the high level of education our community expects. On November 3, our community will consider approving a nonrecurring operational referendum to ensure we have the funds needed to address future budget deficits and provide students with the resources they need to fulfill their potential. If the measure is approved, our mill rate would be $7.33 per $1,000 of fair market value in the first year—and fall to $7.00 by 2030-31.
Find answers to FAQs and more information at https://www.vasreferendum.org.
At its August 17 meeting, the Viroqua Area School Board approved a non-recurring operational referendum question to appear on the ballot Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
If at least 50 percent of voters approve the measure, the district will have the authority to exceed its state-mandated revenue limit by $1.8 million annually over four years, beginning in 2027-28 and ending in 2030-31. This is an additional $500,000 over the current $1.3M operational referendum.
The total school-based tax levy is expected to remain steady throughout the proposed referendum’s duration. The mill rate is projected to fall from $7.33 per $1,000 of fair market value in 2027-28 to $7 by 2030-31.
“Operational referendum funds have been an important part of our district’s budget for many years, and we appreciate the support voters have generously provided to VAS,” said District Administrator Dr. Jeremy Hill. “A renewed referendum will provide budget surety and allow VAS to continue meeting the expectations our community has for its schools and ensuring students have the resources they need to be successful.”
Like all public school districts in Wisconsin, VAS operates under a state-imposed revenue limit established in 1993. The system restricts the amount of funding districts receive through a combination of state aid and local property taxes. It has not kept pace with inflation or rising educational costs over the years.
Operational referendums are common in Wisconsin, with more than half of districts receiving voter approval for similar measures in the past decade. VAS voters approved the district’s first operational referendum in 2004, and it has been renewed four times since then.
The district’s existing referendum is scheduled to sunset at the end of the 2026-27 school year. Without a replacement, the board and administration will need to explore further budget reductions that could cut staffing levels, academic programming, and extracurricular activities, while also delaying maintenance and equipment purchases.
District officials have taken steps to reduce spending, including $1.2 million for the 2026-27 budget. Most of the savings stem from staffing reductions, as the district opted not to fill various positions after retirements and resignations. Making these cuts through attrition allowed for continuity of programming and balancing class sizes where appropriate. The budget is expected to run a surplus of about $122,000 in 2026-27 after a $264,000 projected deficit a year earlier.
With an approved operational referendum, VAS is projected to also run a budget surplus in the first two years of the new referendum. The VAS School Board would consider spending the additional funds on targeted improvements, such as roof repairs at the district’s bus garage, resurfacing the track and tennis courts, and examining boilers for replacement. The district will prioritize those decisions later with stakeholder input and feedback.
Budget deficits are expected in the final two years of the referendum, including nearly $36,000 in 2030-31. The Board expects to set money aside during the first two years to alleviate that deficit.
“Our plans are to consider using the additional funds to improve existing facilities, maintain academic programming, and complete larger projects that we cannot address alone through our normal operations. This approach would prevent the need to borrow funds or ask voters to consider a capital referendum for these critical maintenance projects. Our preference would be to pay for repairs over two years instead of twenty,” Hill said.
It's time again for the annual Student Council School Spirit Apparel Fundraiser. Grab something new to sport your Blackhawk spirit this year! Find all the great things here: https://bsnteamsports.com/shop/sdCYbQRn4n
New this year, HS class shirts can be ordered online. Check them out here: https://bsnteamsports.com/shop/S99otkt7s9 Both online stores will be open through August 31st. All apparel will be delivered by Homecoming. Contact Michelle Halvorson with questions, halmic@viroquablackhawk.org Thanks for your support! Go Blackhawks!
Viroqua Area Schools is excited to introduce Bound, our new activities and scheduling platform, beginning July 1, 2026. Bound will be the central hub for school activities, making it easy for students, parents, coaches, staff, and community members to access information, register for activities, purchase tickets, receive team communications, and more. Activities registration for the 2026-27 school year opens July 1, 2026. For more info: https://bit.ly/VASBoundInfo Contact Dan Brown, Activities Director, with questions. dbrown@viroquablackhawk.org.
Free Summer Weekly Meal Pickup for Kids! Sign up by July 2 at Noon. Viroqua Area School District is offering free breakfast and lunch for all children 18 and under who live in the district. No income requirements apply. Private school and homeschool students are also eligible. https://forms.gle/t89bPSXtPTcwte1D8 This signup is only for the weekly meal pick up. Lunch will be served at the HS/MS Cafeteria from July 6-August 14 for anyone NOT participating in the weekly meal pickup.
Due to possible storms this afternoon, the Viroqua High School graduation ceremony will be held in the HS gym at 1:30 pm. You may also view the ceremony at the Viroqua Live Youtube link
No School Mon, May 25th - Happy Memorial Day!
Early Release - 4/17/26 - VAS will be releasing early at 1:00 (Elementary) and 1:15 (MS/HS) in order to get students and staff home prior to the pending weather later this afternoon. This includes the Early Learning Center. After school activities are also canceled for this evening and will be rescheduled at a later date.
The VAS School Board Election is today, Tuesday, April 7th. Polls are open from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Election results will be posted at this link as they come in. https://bit.ly/426VASElectionResults
