Viroqua Schools to hold ribbon cutting and open house

VIROQUA, Wis. – Viroqua Area Schools announced it will be holding a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house celebration to showcase the completed elementary school construction work that were made possible by a November 2022 referendum.

The public is invited to the ceremonies at the Viroqua Elementary School on Thursday, Aug. 29, from 5 to 7 p.m.

Schedule of events includes:

• 5 p.m. – Ribbon cutting ceremony and 1995 time capsule opening;
• 5:15 p.m. – Remarks from district and school board administration;
• 5:30 to 7 p.m. – Tours and open house;

No RSVP is required and the public is welcome.

Viroqua Schools placed two questions on the ballot to address facilities challenges within Viroqua’s existing space and provide updated and flexible learning environments that ensure student safety and accessibility and encourage academic growth.

The second part of the referendum project kicked off in early spring with the tech ed addition, second story classroom addition and a secure entrance for the middle/high school. Most referendum projects will be ready for student use on the first day of school, with the completed tech ed space will be ready for hands-on student learning mid-December.

2022 Referendum Question 1, the proposed base plan, included necessary improvements at both the elementary and middle-high school sites, addressing the most pressing issues including security, accessibility, and educational enhancements, for $17 million. Voters of the district approved a second question to expand the Tech Ed (agriculture, woods, metals, and automotive) space by 7,500 square feet to give adequate space for industry equipment and improve programming at $3.5 million.

“We are so grateful to our community for supporting the growth of Viroqua Area Schools,” stated Tom Burkhalter, district administrator. “My hope is that community members will join us at the open house celebration to see, firsthand, what their support looks like for student learning environments at Viroqua Elementary School.”

For additional information, please contact District Administrator Tom Burkhalter at 608-637-1186 or via email at tburkhalter@viroquablackhawk.org