DE PERE (NBC 26) — The School District of West De Pere board voted unanimously at its meeting Wednesday night to move forward with a $9.925 million referendum to improve and expand the trades education facilities at West De Pere High School.
- The district last passed a facilities referendum in 2018, but it did not include the tech ed labs, which were built in 1969.
- School officials say the referendum would address growing demand for trades classes, and trades employees in the workforce.
- A diagram of the expansion plan, provided by the school district, is shown at the end of this article.
- West De Pere High faculty says the limited current facilities require some simulations and projects to be held outside (shown below), which puts classes at the mercy of the weather — the expansion would address that issue.
Chris Glinsky
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story, with additional details added for the web.)
This metal lab, one of three so-called "dirty labs" here at West De Pere High School, was built in 1969, and the facility has not been updated since. Future welders and other metal workers are forged right here in this lab, and the school district says it's time for an upgrade.
The West De Pere school board voted Wednesday night to put a nearly $10 million dollar referendum on the April ballot — to improve courses like this car care class.
"If I have a car problem, [I'd] just go, 'Hey, Dad, can you fix my car?'" senior Mia Racine said. "But this class really helped me to be able to, like, be more independent and know what I need to work on. So, especially in the future, when I'll be living by myself, I'll be more independent with my own stuff, instead of relying on somebody else."
For students like Mia learning life skills to those looking for a career path, a potential expansion to the lab spaces would be the first in 50+ years.
"This is an area that we've never touched [with a referendum]. We're really tight with where the vehicles are situated during the [auto] lab, and we only have two lifts — where we'll be able to get four lifts into the new addition," principal Russ Gerke said.
"This classroom right now runs welding, CNC [computer numerical control], and regular machining all at the same time, so we can have 20-25 kids in this classroom," longtime tech ed teacher Chris Glinski said. "It really fills up quick."
Glinski says the trades in northeast Wisconsin are always hiring, and interest in his classes is also increasing.
"The need, demand, is constantly growing," he said, "and I think it's something that we have to address."
The district is now asking taxpayers for support to offer more — and better — classes in the woods lab, metals lab, and auto lab.
"We are seeing that those students are requesting higher level courses that we can't offer because we don't have the space for [them]," Gerke said. "So adding on the space will allow us to add second-level and third-level courses."
So if you live in West De Pere, you can expect more communication from the school district in the coming months, and the referendum will be on the ballot in April of 2025.
