The School District of Sheboygan Falls began its facilities study process in December 2022, this included staff feedback, a third party assessment, community tours and conversations.
With these points of feedback and the enrollment and community growth study key findings were identified as follows.
Overall, the Sheboygan Falls school buildings have been well-maintained, with consistent annual capital maintenance investments helping to maximize their current conditions. However, the study also pointed to critical systems and areas that need further investment.
Sheboygan Falls Elementary School, originally built in 2000, is now close to 25 years old. At this point in the age of a building, basic systems need replacement, while furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF&E) need repair. This includes:
Boilers and chillers at the end of their useful life
Replacement of leaking windows, doors, and sections of the roof
The school lacks fire sprinklers
Furniture, flooring, and paint repairs due to more than 20 years of continual wear and tear
Since opening, the building has been adapted in several ways to enhance academic opportunities, including:
In 2007, constructing classrooms on the second floor to relieve overcrowding
In 2015, four classrooms were repurposed for 4-year kindergarten (4K), which was moved from the middle school, while relocating 5-year kindergarten (5K) nonadjacent classrooms not designed for kindergarten students.
These changes, along with shifts in educational delivery, have led to more demands for space:
Dedicated to support students with a variety of special needs
Common areas, including the cafeteria and kitchen, are significantly undersized and cramped
The playground area is too small, the equipment is now outdated, and uneven surface and drainage issues create safety and accessibility issues
Community partners, such as the YMCA, providing before- and after-school care utilize dedicated space in the school, impacting capacity
Enrollment analysis shows the Elementary School is currently over capacity. The school’s capacity is 533 students, while the official 2023-24 September enrollment count was 588. Enrollment projections completed by MDRoffers Consulting show a projected gain of 140 additional elementary-aged students in the next 10-12 years, which would put the school nearly 200 students over capacity.
Sheboygan Falls Middle School, built in 2018, does not require significant facility maintenance. It has a capacity for approximately 40 additional students, and most classroom spaces are regularly utilized.
Sheboygan Falls High School, originally built in 1969, shows significant signs of its 50+ years of age. Building-related concerns include:
Basic building systems, including sections of the roof, doors, windows, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, are at the end of their useful life. Many windows are at the end of life and limit the amount of natural light in classrooms.
Several educational areas, including science labs and technical education areas (woods and metals, agriculture, culinary arts), are significantly outdated, undersized, and inflexible. In particular, the science lab has a challenging layout with improper ventilation.
Several security-related concerns have been noted. The current design of the building does not allow for it to be secured by partitioning off sections for after-hours use, leaving the entire building accessible. Also, the school does not have fire sprinkler systems.
Several outdoor athletic facilities have structural and drainage issues, including the tennis courts, football field, track, and baseball and softball diamonds.
Building finishes, including ceilings, lighting, paint, flooring, and casework, generally need updating.
Physical education areas, including the gym, locker rooms, and the weight room, are often highly utilized. The gymnasium flooring is worn, and the bleachers need to be updated. The second-floor weight room has structural issues and ADA concerns.
There is a lack of similar locker facilities provided for boys’ and girls’ sports, which creates potential equity issues, known as Title IX, a federal law.
Enrollment analysis shows adequate space at the high school to serve students well into the future. Enrollment is currently 512 students with capacity at 684, which leaves some areas of the building under-utilized and available for maximizing reuse and reconfiguration.
