Elk Mound Schools projects funded by referendum near completion

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) - School districts around the state will be opening their doors to students this week including here in Western Wisconsin. WEAU’s Bob Gallaher stopped by Elk Mound schools Monday for the first day of school for Mounder nation.

It was a day to welcome back the 12-hundred students in the Elk Mound School District. Kids gathering for a school assembly, having fun watching their teachers show off their team-bonding skills, all without restrictions caused by the pandemic.

“Different feel obviously this year. A lot less stress or pressure I would say and the kids are showing that as they enter the hallways, they’re laughing, giggling more and we were able to run the last two years which is wonderful and it was wonderful for our students and community and we are very proud of that,” says Eric Wright, Elk Mound Schools Superintendent.

These are exciting times for Wright and his staff, several projects funded by a referendum that passed in April of 2020 are nearing completion. Wright says credit goes to the community for their support of public education.

“We’re finishing up phase two of a $15.7 million dollar referendum and right now our final touches, our tech ed room is almost complete, we have a new band room, a new weight room,” explains Wright. “We have a new middle school gym that we opened up last year, we had new classrooms at the middle school, secure entrance at the elementary school and middle school, and all new infrastructure from boiler rooms and roofs. We’re very lucky that our community supported our referendum right as COVID hit.”

Another big addition to the school district that was funded by the referendum is a new rubberized track has been installed around the football field. Meanwhile, in the classroom, Wright says the goal is to make sure students at every level feel secure while at school.

“We always center on reading and math and one other area, it could be discipline or just connections with people and I really think that’s an important one right now that we are referencing right now. Making sure every student in the school district that has someone they can go to when they need help,” adds Wright.

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