Augusta School District closes financial gap, no referendum this fall

AUGUSTA - Thanks to measures taken, particularly with cutting staff, the Augusta School District will finish the 2025-26 school with a small surplus.

This was told to the Augusta School Board by Superintendent Reed Pecha in his report at its August meeting back on the 19th in the middle/high school auditorium.

Because of this surplus, Pecha says there will be no need to hold an operational referendum this fall. The District pursued such a referendum this past spring and it was voted down.

This does not mean the District is completely out of the financial woods as it faces the same challenges other small, rural school districts do in terms increases costs for items such as food and fuel along with declining or stagnant enrollment with limited increases in state aid to meet those gaps in funding. There's also the need to rebuild the district's fund balances as well and the state's next biennial budget which will be affected but the outcome of November's election.

"If the board decides to go with another referendum it would not be until next spring affecting the 2027-28 budget," Pecha said. "For this current school year we're okay and due to a lot of sacrifice and cost cutting," Pecha said.

The District's annual meeting of its electors will take place on Sept. 23 that will decide upon the budget, levy and mill rate for the 2026-27 school year. A budget hearing will be held in the Cafeteria at the Augusta Middle/High School, at E19320 Bartig Road, at 6:00 p.m. A special meeting of the Board will take place next week Wednesday, Sept. 16.

At the meeting the Board approved the resignations of Stephanie Fabian- Aide , Phallen Wolfe-ELC; approved the hires Tina Bohlinger Elementary Administrative Assistant- Contract, Samantha Hanson- PT assistant teacher at ELC-Application, Derek Boldt- MS/HS PBIS Coach-Contract, Avery McDonnell- Para-Contract, Richard Martin-Wildlands Teacher-Contract, Katie Warner- Food Service-Contract and Chloe Brehm-PT assistant teacher at ELC- Application. They also approved of the retirement of Kris Perkovich - Food Service.

The Board also approved the 66.0301 agreement with Fall Creek School District. This is an annual agreement between FC and Augusta to share Occupational Therapy services.