By Chris Nelson, District Administrator
College and Technical College Credit
Our dual credit programming has grown significantly. In 2023, students earned a combined 171 college and technical college credits. Last school year, students earned 401 credits, more than double in just four years. Students earn these credits tuition-free while still in high school through options like Start College Now, Early College Credit Programs, Youth Apprenticeship, and Transcripted Credit courses. That saves families real money on the cost of college or technical school later on.
Band, Choir, and the Arts
Our band and choir programs have earned state-level recognition for the quality of their musicianship. You will have the opportunity to hear them perform at the annual Veterans Day program on Nov. 11. We also support a strong theater program that puts on a full musical production each year in February. The musical this year is Frozen. This production will include 50+ students in various roles, including acting, signing, lighting and sound technicians, backstage crew, and set designers.
Athletic Opportunities
Students can compete in a full slate of WIAA sports through the Central Wisconsin Conference, including football, soccer, cross country, basketball, hockey, baseball, golf, track, volleyball, and softball, along with additional activities like trap shooting and bowling.
Co-Curricular Opportunities
Beyond athletics and the arts, students can get involved in DECA, FCCLA, Educators Rising, National Honor Society, Math League, Quiz Bowl, Forensics, Spanish Club, Art Crew, Student Council, and more. These programs build leadership and career skills that classroom time alone can’t provide, and they depend on continued funding for advisors, transportation, and materials.
A National Award for Our NHS Chapter
Our National Honor Society chapter recently received the National Overall Award of Excellence from the National Association of Secondary School Principals, one of the highest honors NHS chapters can earn nationwide. The award recognized our chapter’s work across two school-wide community service days, a day of service at our local assisted living home, and a multi-week fundraising campaign supporting local veterans through Old Glory Honor Flight.
Community Service and Volunteering
That spirit of service reaches well beyond the NHS. Students regularly take part in community service days and volunteer throughout the year, and many hold part-time jobs with local businesses. You’ll find I-S students helping at the Iola Car Show, serving at local churches, cleaning up highways, maintaining trails, stocking shelves at food pantries, and ringing bells for the Salvation Army.
Domestic and International Travel
Co-curricular programs regularly take students beyond Iola. DECA students travel to district, state, and international competitions, with past trips to destinations like Orlando, Florida, and our district has also supported international travel experiences for students. These trips open doors many students wouldn’t otherwise have. Students and families work hard to fundraise and save money to pay for these trips.
Academic Standing
On the most recent Wisconsin DPI School Report Card, Iola-Scandinavia earned an Exceeds Expectations rating, a rating not every district in Waupaca County has achieved. That reflects the daily work of our teachers and students, and it’s the kind of result this referendum funding helps sustain.
What’s at Stake
The referendum on the Nov. 3 ballot would let the district exceed the state revenue limit by $1.2 million in 2026-27 and $1.5 million annually through 2029-30. For a home valued at $ 250,000, that comes to about $62.50 more per year in property taxes. Wisconsin’s state funding formula hasn’t kept pace with inflation, and without this renewal, the district would have to make difficult choices and make cuts to staff, programming, and extracurricular activities.
The community support for the referendum doesn’t fund something new. It protects the programs, opportunities, and results our students already have.
