Sauk Prairie Superintendent recognizes GROW 2 Scholarship recipients

While the new housing development may have been the belle of the ball at Sauk Prairie School District’s Board meeting last Monday, the regular and necessary machinations of a public school district took place. Superintendent Jeff Wright, as he seems to do at every meeting, found time to highlight four Sauk Prairie graduates. Wright recognized the four current Sauk Prairie college students who are a part of the GROW 2 Scholarship for Future Educators. The Sauk Prairie School District along with Wisconsin Heights, Cambridge and Lodi are part of a GROW Cooperative offering scholarship opportunities to graduates of these high schools who are pursuing a degree in Education.  The goal of these scholarships is to have these future educators come back and teach at of one of these rural districts if offered a position. Money for this program is provided by a Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development Innovation Grant. Makenzie Breunig, Lauren Frey, Ellie Lankey and Leah Weigel all received the GROW 2 Scholarship. Breunig is studying Broadfield Social Studies and Political Science at UW-La Crosse. Frey is pursuing Elementary Education and Special Education at UW-Stevens Point. Lankey is working toward an English Education degree at Concordia University, and Weigel is pursuing Elementary and Middle Education/Special Education at UW-La Crosse. He also noted it was Teacher Appreciation Week, and expressed his thanks to them. The board will be voting on the proposed housing development at their next meeting. Earlier in the meeting, Wright announced a land sale and housing development deal struck by the School District and several developers. There will be six buildings of 15 to 20 apartments each, with a shared childcare center. The developers have agreed to keep rent rates below market value for ten years. There will also be five buildings with 30 to 40 luxury apartments, with both a pool and a clubhouse. In addition, there will be 30 2-unit owner occupied condos. Superintendent Jeff Wright, in his presentation, noted that they hoped older folks in the community would downsize into these condos, opening up larger houses for new families.  The target date for the project is 2026. The District will sell the land for $2.2 million; $1.5 million due on purchase and $700,000 repaid over time. Part of the proceeds from the land sale will be put in a fund for future district land expansion needs. Wright said as part of the agreement with the developers the district will get two apartment units for free—just having to pay utilities. He said the district can use these units to house their visiting Mandarin teacher next year, for example, or to help a late hire find a place to live temporarily while searching for housing. 2-bedroom apartments will cost $1,200 a month for rent, a price that Wright said an “entry level educator [at Sauk Prairie School District] can afford.”