Oshkosh Schools consider $195 Million referendum in April

OSHKOSH, WI – (WISS)- While over 120 Wisconsin school districts are going to referendum on the November 5th ballot, the Oshkosh Area School District is just now considering the referendum route. Over the next few months, the school district will hold listening sessions with residents and will work to decide if they will ask voters for $195 Million in spring. 

Date	Time	Location
Tuesday, September 24	6:30 PM	South Park Middle School
Monday, September 30	6:30 PM	North High School
Thursday, October 10	6:30 PM	Vel Phillips Middle School
Wednesday, October 16	6:30 PM	Menominee Elementary School
Tuesday, October 29	6:30 PM	Oakwood Elementary School

Bryan Davis, Superintendent of Oshkosh Area School District, said that the referendum will seek funding to consolidate west side district schools, update buildings to make sure they are ADA-compliant, and build a new auditorium at North High School.

“Two of our schools on the west side are either 100 years old or older,” said Davis. “South Park Middle School is really the focus of this referendum. The original part of that building is 120 years old. We’ve got galvanized piping – That’s packed in asbestos – That’s packed in brick walls – That has a tendency to leak.” 

Davis said declining enrollment brings the need for consolidation in order for the school district to remain efficient. Historically there have been 10,000 students in Oshkosh schools. Now there are 9,000. 

“So when you’re looking at a thousand students less and the service of those students – It’s not efficient for us to run 20 buildings and serve a thousand less students. So we have a better model proposed for us to get down to 15 buildings,” Davis said.  

Referendum projects

The school district said The referendum is expected to make the following projects possible:

• Replace or renovate South Park Middle School
• Build a new auditorium at North High School
• Repurpose Perry Tipler Middle School as an alternative school site and recreation offices.
• Close the downtown recreation center building
• Close Roosevelt Elementary School
• Expand Carl Traeger, Franklin, and Oakwood Elementary schools to accommodate 600 students.
• Convert Shapiro STEM Academy to a 4K center.

Bryan said because the district paid off its former debts there would be no increase in the school tax levy due to the referendum. 

The Oshkosh Area School District Board of Education will receive additional updates about the possible referendum during its November meeting. It will then decide in January if it will place the referendum on the April 2025 ballot. 

Information about the referendum can be found here: oshkosh.k12.wi.us/facilities