The Fennimore School Board set the mill rate and the 2027 tax levy during its annual meeting held on Wednesday, Oct. 28. Once the annual meeting formalities such as adopting resolutions and approving salaries were finished, Fennimore Community School District Administrator Jane Wonderling led the budget hearing portion, which the mill rate, which is the amount of tax payable per dollar of the assessed value of a property, dropped for the sixth year in row, coming in at $6.72, down from 2026’s $7.07.
Wonderling stated that the district has sufficient assets with no short term borrowing projected, and the district’s fund balance is once again healthy, helping in keeping the district in a stable financial position.
Wonderling stated that the district’s total enrollment number increased by six students for the 2026-27 school year, also leading to an increase in state aid.
While the mill rate decreased, the tax levy, the taxable amount levied on all taxable property in the school district, had a slight 2.3 percent increase from last year’s $3,201,231 to $3,275,474.
Both were formally approved and certified during the regular school board monthly meeting portion of the evening.
During a “year in review” session, Fennimore Elementary School Principal Hillary Day applauded the school’s staff on their first year being a title school and the school’s continued efforts working with CESA 3 to bring test scores up. She also thanked the City of Fennimore for their quick response to make the four way stops in front of the school and those intersection no longer being “shady spots.”
Dean of Students Alisha Richard gave a middle school review, stating both the annual Washington D.C. and Wyalusing trips had both went well and the middle school students continue to participate in CESA 3 and SWAL events like Quiz Bowl.
Fennimore Middle/High School Principal Boone Tollefson stated the high school continues to see high student involvement in all co-curriculars stating he tells many students “you’re always here (the high school),” Tollefson also informed the board last year’s graduating class had 19 students in youth apprenticeships and this year’s graduating class will have five dual graduates.
Special Education Director Taylor Rosemeyer referred to the district special education teachers as a “wonderful group of people,” praised the district’s early childhood development, stating students who participate in the program make significant progress in elementary school.
She also stated that the district was “blessed” to have the group of paraprofessionals they do stating they time and time again “blow it out of the water.”
The district bilingual program continues to perform well, Rosemeyer stated, with 29 families/50 students in the district.
Regular monthly meeting
During the regular meeting portion, the board approved adding a drone instruction class to the middle/high school course of studies starting next semester.
Fennimore Middle/High School teacher John Linden stated to the board the he has recently had students approach him about the possibility of adding a drone instruction course. He stated that those students were interested in careers in construction, precision agriculture, and real estate, and drone training would be a benefit.
Wonderling stated that the school would work with USI, a company who provides curriculum, training, and certifications for high schools, colleges, and companies, and that Linden had recently been certified through them.
She also went on to say she believed Fennimore would be the first high school in the state to have a drone instruction course.
Linden then showed the board one of the introductory drones the students would use during the course. There may have been a slight mishap involving the drone and the hair of a board member, but the board unanimously approved the drone course to begin next semester.
The board accepted the resignation of Tyrell Rosemeyer as varsity head football coach who wished the program well in his resignation letter.
Fennimore High School English teacher Jalissa Reynolds’ resignation as an assistant speech team coach was also accepted by the board.
Three recent donations were accepted by the board, the first being from Collision Specialists for $1,934 for district families in need through their annual fund raiser.
Seventy pounds of ground beef through a “Big Beef Blitz” contest held by the Wisconsin Beef Council was also approved by the board. The ground beef was provided by Spring Creeks Cattle Company near Boscobel.
Finn’s Rule school bus driver safety cards for district bus drivers and staff were also approved by the board. The Finn’s Rule cards are in memory of Finn Katona, a 5-year-old who died on Jan. 2, 2025, after falling and being run over by a school bus during a routine bus transfer in the school parking lot of Silver Spring Intermediate School in Sussex.
The cards remind bus drivers to strictly check bus danger zones (blind spots around the vehicle), count children, and exercise heightened caution before pulling away, particularly during high-risk student loading, unloading, and transfer times.
The cards were suggested to be passed out by Wally Byrne, special education teacher at Fennimore Elementary School, who has friends who are relatives of Finn and his family.
A donation of “old” school records, scrapbooks, pictures, etc., was approved to be given to the Dwight T. Parker Public Library as part of the library’s history of Fennimore display.
A few hirings were approved by the board including Broderick Vaclavek, a high school English intern, as an assistant speech team coach, Isabelle Schneider White as a tutor, and Rachel Payne as girls wrestling coach.
Finally, with wrestling and other winter sports starting soon, the board approved a number of winter sports volunteer coaches.
The next meeting of the Fennimore Community School Board is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 24, at 6 p.m., in the cafeteria of Fennimore Elementary School.
