The Lake Geneva Joint #1 School District takes great pride in being an integral part of our community as we fulfill our mission to engage, educate, and empower the students, staff, and community of Lake Geneva Schools. Our district is known for its successful, robust academic and co-curricular programs, the incredible opportunities we offer to students throughout their time in our schools, and talented staff members.

While we are proud of our successes, the district also faces significant financial challenges. These challenges are out of our control and tied to the state’s school funding formula, a lack of aid to public schools in recent years, and rapidly increasing costs.

Our Proposed Solution

On Tuesday, April 1, 2025, our community will vote on a proposed non-recurring referendum for the Lake Geneva Joint #1 School District. If approved, the district will be able to increase its annual budget by $4 million each year for the next four school years, through the 2028-2029 school year. This increase will help address the district's deficit and support safety and security improvements. Please note that this $4 million increase applies only to each individual year—it does not accumulate, nor is it a permanent addition to the budget.

The funding secured through this referendum is vital to ensure our district can avoid significant cuts to essential programs, services, and staffing across our schools, as well as address critical safety and security infrastructure, safeguarding the overall well-being and education of our students.

We are proud that prior investments in our schools are yielding results:

• Our school district has a high retention of qualified educators, ensuring an exceptional education for all students.
• Curricular materials and student technology are updated based on current best practices
• We offer diverse extracurricular activities, with transportation, ensuring inclusion for all students.
• Our district serves over 700 breakfast and 1,000 lunch meals daily.
• Our strong partnerships with community groups enhance after-school offerings, including child care.
• Class sizes in our district remain within our target range, maintaining desirable student to staff ratios.
• The district continues its long-standing history of fiscal responsibility, maintaining a high quality Aa2 bond rating.

The Lake Geneva Joint #1 School District is a high achieving district that continues to exceed expectations.

Even with these cuts, the district’s financial stability will remain a challenge, deeply impacting the quality of education and community services. If this April 2025 referendum fails, the Lake Geneva Joint #1 School District will have to go back to the community for a future operational referendum. 

Despite rising costs for goods and services, school taxes remain lower than in past years.