• Strong Today. Future Focused.

    Welcome to the Wilmar “Strong Today. Future Focused.” webpage. This page will be a resource to update the Willmar community about the state of the district, its financial health, and ways you can get involved. Like many school districts across Minnesota, Willmar continues to face financial challenges. We are in the process of gathering feedback from our community on our situation and working together to figure out the best way to address these challenges.

    The Situation

    Willmar Public Schools has a lot to celebrate: a welcoming environment, diverse academic offerings, strong athletic programs and an exceptional fine arts department. That being said, we are at a financial crossroads. Simply put, the District is spending more than it brings in each year, and while it may sound like an easy fix: spend less and balance the budget, it’s not that simple. 

    Up until about 2021, our revenues and expenses were tracking along fairly closely, however, after that point, expenditures began to increase and revenues did not keep up, to the point where we’re potentially facing a $5 million deficit in FY2023. This year, we are looking at reducing our budget by $2 million in an effort to rightsize. The cuts won’t be easy, but we believe they are the prudent thing to do to address a serious issue that cannot be kicked down the road for a future board to deal with. More details about our financial situation are available on our Blog… 

     

    Community Task Force

    We will host three meetings February through April with a group of community members from across multiple stakeholder groups to seek their advice to help shape the school board’s response to the district’s financial challenges.


    Get more information on the Community Task Force page

     

    Family/Community Meetings

    We intend to host family/Community meetings later this spring. Watch for details!

     

    Contact Us

    If you have any questions about the current financial situation in Willmar Public Schools, please contact either of the following individuals:

     

    Dr. Jeff Holm, Superintendent

    holmj@willmar.k12.mn.us

    320.231.8510

     

    Dr. Bill Adams, Assistant Superintendent

    adamsb@willmar.k12.mn.us

    320.231.8506