As the new Superintendent of Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial, I am both honored and excited to join such a dedicated and talented team and community.
My wife, Amy, and I are thrilled to be a part of the LCWM community. Accompanying us on this new adventure are our children, Mitchell and Macy. Our older three kids will be around from time to time but will be off at college—Megan will be at Iowa Central in the Dental Hygienist program, Maddy is at Ridgewater as part of the nursing program, and Matthew will be attending SMSU, pursuing a career in education.
I want to extend a heartfelt thank you for the warm welcome I have received so far. Your passion for education and commitment to our students’ success is truly inspiring, and I am eager to work alongside each of you to build on the strong foundation already in place.
I am committed to fostering a collaborative and supportive environment where everyone feels valued and empowered. Our collective mission is to provide a high-quality education that prepares our students for success in a rapidly changing world. To achieve this, we must continue to innovate, support one another, and remain steadfast in our dedication to excellence.
I firmly believe that open communication and teamwork are the cornerstones of a successful school district. In the coming weeks, I look forward to meeting with many of you, listening to your ideas, and understanding the unique strengths and challenges of our district. Your insights and experiences are invaluable, and I am eager to learn from you.
In November, the school board will be asking you to support our 6.5 million dollar referendum. This referendum will fix, repair, upgrade, replace, and maintain our school buildings. The bulk of the funds will go towards essential projects such as roofs, parking lots, and HVAC systems at both sites, along with a list of smaller projects to enhance the facilities.
Another significant point to note is that, based on current tax laws (Ag2School Tax Credit) regarding the amount of agricultural land in our district, the state will contribute 40% of the funds. In other words, the cost to our taxpayers is only 60% of the approved amount. The district will have a $6.5 million fund to address these critical needs, and the community will only need to repay $3.9 million. The District will be communicating more about this in the upcoming weeks before the election.
Please know that my door is always open. Whether you have a suggestion, a concern, or simply want to introduce yourself, I encourage you to reach out. Together, we can create an environment where our students thrive, and our staff feels supported and appreciated.
Brett Benson
LCWM Superintendent