Washburn Schools

What Washburn Schools does

Washburn Schools (legal name: School District of Washburn) is a public K-12 school district headquartered in Washburn, Wisconsin on the shores of Chequamegon Bay, Lake Superior, serving approximately 549 students from 4K through 12th grade across three schools: an Elementary School (4K-6, 296 students), a Middle School (7-8, 76 students), and a High School (9-12, 177 students). The district also operates an Early Learning Center providing licensed infant (2 months-2 years), toddler (2-3 years), and preschool (3-5 years) care aligned with Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards and NAEYC-guided practices, plus a fee-based before- and after-school program branded "Castle Guard Kids."

The district's core differentiator is its environmental and hands-on STEM learning infrastructure, built over decades. Assets include a School Forest officially registered in 1960 with cabin and trails, an Aquaponics Lab combining aquaculture and hydroponics, a High Tunnel greenhouse that supplies the cafeteria, a Monarch Oasis butterfly garden, on-site solar panels, and Elementary and Secondary Library Makerspaces equipped with 3D printers, Glowforge laser cutters, Cricut machines, iMacs, podcasting and green-screen equipment, and a progressive coding curriculum using Botley, Osmo, Sphero Bolts, and Wonder Dash/Dot robots. 2025 U.S. Department of Education recognition as both a Green Ribbon School and a National Blue Ribbon School validates this positioning.

The business and funding model is fundamentally public-sector: the core instructional operation is funded through local property taxes and Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction state aid under per-pupil formulas, with federal grants (e.g., Title I) supplementing. Auxiliary fee-based revenue streams include Early Learning Center weekly tuition ($124-$200), Castle Guard Kids before/after-school care ($36-$65/week), school meals (universal free breakfast, student lunch $3.95-$4.10, adult lunch $5.50) processed via eFunds, and student activity fees. A capital referendum approved by voters in November 2024 authorizes multi-phased borrowing at 5.00%-5.25% over 21 years for middle and high school renovation, with construction mobilized in summer 2026 on a 16-18 month timeline. Distribution is exclusively through district-operated facilities plus Wisconsin public school open enrollment for non-resident students; partnerships with the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility and Epicurean support the aquaponics program, and the district is governed by an elected school board under Superintendent Denise Michaelsen.

Name

Washburn Schools

Legal name

School District of Washburn

Website

https://washburn.k12.wi.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Washburn Schools is a public K-12 school district in Washburn, Wisconsin serving approximately 549 students from 4K through 12th grade, plus early learning and before/after-school care, with differentiated environmental and hands-on STEM facilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Public Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAJAAAE

Public K–12 Combined Schools

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/Public K–12 Schools & Districts

SECONDARYEDAJAAAB

Public Elementary Schools

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/Public K–12 Schools & Districts

SECONDARYEDAJAAAC

Public Middle Schools

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/Public K–12 Schools & Districts

SECONDARYEDACABAA

General Preschools (Play-Based)

Education/Early Childhood Education/Preschools & Pre-K Programs

Keywords

• K-12 public education
• Early childhood education
• Childcare services
• School nutrition programs
• Outdoor environmental education

Headquarters

HQ city

Washburn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Public Education Funding: The school district operates as a public school district funded primarily through local property taxes and state education funding from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. This is the core operational funding model for all K-12 educational services.
2. Early Learning Center Tuition: Fee-based childcare and early education services for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Rates range from $124-$200 per week depending on age group and attendance days. Drop-in care available at $53/day.
3. Castle Guard Kids Before/After School Care: Fee-based before and after school childcare program with rates based on number of days per week. Before school (7:15-8:10) and after school (3:15-5:15) care available. Summer care coincides with summer school schedule.
4. School Nutrition Program: Meal services including breakfast (free to all students) and lunch (student rates $3.95-$4.10, adults $5.50). Revenue from meal purchases. Universal free breakfast available to all students daily.
5. Student Activity Fees: Fee management system for various school fees, including supply costs, activity fees, and other student-related charges. Payments processed through eFunds system.
6. Capital Referendum Funding: The November 2024 capital referendum approved borrowing for middle/high school renovation and construction. Uses multi-phased borrowing approach with 21-year amortization at 5.00%-5.25% interest rates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Washburn Schools (School District of Washburn) operates public K-12 education in Washburn, Wisconsin, serving approximately 549 students across an Elementary School (4K-6), Middle School (7-8), High School (9-12), and an Early Learning Center providing infant, toddler, and preschool care. Core offerings include classroom academic instruction, before/after school care, school nutrition services, dual-enrollment college credit programs, athletics, and distinctive outdoor environmental learning facilities such as a registered School Forest, aquaponics lab, high tunnel greenhouse, school garden, monarch butterfly garden, and solar-powered renewable energy installations.

Product overview

Washburn Schools (School District of Washburn) is a K-12 public school district with approximately 549 students in grades 4K-12, consisting of three schools: Elementary School (4K-6, 296 students), Middle School (7-8, 76 students), and High School (9-12, 177 students). The district also operates an Early Learning Center offering infant, toddler, and preschool care. The district differentiates through environmental education with unique facilities including a School Forest, School Garden, Aquaponics Lab, High Tunnel, Monarch Oasis, and solar panels. Library Makerspaces at all schools provide STEM and coding education with 3D printers, laser cutters, and robotics. The Castle Guard Kids after-school program provides extended childcare. A major building renovation project is underway for the middle and high school, approved via the November 2024 referendum. The district operates under the mission of connecting to educate, inspire, and empower.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Washburn Elementary School Public elementary school serving 4K through 6th grade students (296 students enrolled). Delivers core academic subjects alongside specials (Art, Music, Library, Gym), outdoor learning experiences, hands-on STEM activities, and progressive coding curriculum from 4K through 5th grade. Features include an elementary library Makerspace with 3D printers, Glowforge laser cutter, podcasting equipment, green screen, iMacs, and coding robots.
• Washburn Middle School Public middle school serving grades 7-8 (76 students enrolled). Provides transitional education between elementary and high school with an emphasis on outdoor learning experiences, including field trips to Lake Superior area, the aquarium, and train trips. Includes access to the middle/high school Makerspace with ClearTouch interactive table, Glowforge laser cutters, and Cue robots.
• Washburn High School Public high school serving grades 9-12 (177 students enrolled). Offers a comprehensive curriculum including college preparatory coursework, Career and Technical Education, the Early College Credit Program, and Start College Now dual-enrollment options for college credit with UW institutions. Houses the aquaponics lab and high tunnel greenhouse for agricultural and environmental science education, and provides school counseling, Academic and Career Planning (ACP), and scholarship services.
• Early Learning Center (ELC) Licensed early childhood education facility offering care and education for children aged 2 months to 5 years. Includes an Infant Room (2 months-2 years), Toddler Room (2-3 years), and Preschool Room (3-5 years). Follows Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards (WMELS) and NAEYC-guided practices. Weekly tuition ranges from $124 to $200 depending on age group and attendance days, with $53/day drop-in care available and a $4/day surcharge for children not yet toilet trained.
• Castle Guard Kids Before/After School Care Fee-based before school (7:15-8:10 AM) and after school (3:15-5:15 PM) childcare program operating at the Elementary School for district families. Offers art projects, science experiments, puzzles, Lego building, and outdoor activities. Before-school rates range $36-$50/week by attendance days with $14/day drop-in; after-school rates range $45-$65/week with $17/day drop-in. Summer care coincides with summer school schedule.
• School Nutrition Program Cafeteria meal services at the elementary and middle/high schools including universal free breakfast for all students daily and paid lunch. Student lunch priced $3.95 (elementary) to $4.10 (MS/HS), reduced-price lunch $0.40 for qualifying students, adult lunch $5.50, adult breakfast $2.80, and milk $0.40/carton. Payments processed through the eFunds for Schools platform.
• Castle Guard Athletics Athletics program competing in the Indianhead Conference (Northern Lights Conference, District 1, Division 3/4). Sports include track (conference champions for boys and girls), football, and other interscholastic activities. Mascot is Castle Guards with school colors red and black. Spirit wear available through an online store.
• Summer School Programs Summer educational programs offering various academic enrichment classes and recreational activities for students during summer months, including summer care that coincides with the Castle Guard Kids program schedule.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• EpicureanminorOthers · 1 January 2026Epicurean, a company based in Superior, Wisconsin that makes cutting boards from paper and resin, provided food-grade, water-resistant material for the Washburn High School aquaponics systems. Students replaced traditional Styrofoam rafts with Epicurean cutting board material for growing plants in their aquaponics lab.
• UWSP NADF (University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility)minorOthers · 1 January 2026UWSP NADF donated Arctic char to Washburn High School for use in their aquaponics systems and aquaculture education programs, enabling students to learn about fish health, anatomy, and food security.
• Wisconsin Department of Public InstructioncoreOthersThe school district operates under Wisconsin state education standards and participates in state programs including open enrollment, Title I, Early College Credit Program, and Start College Now. DPI provides academic standards, assessment frameworks, and regulatory oversight.
• Wisconsin Academic StandardscoreOthersDistrict curriculum aligns with Wisconsin Academic Standards from the Department of Public Instruction. Curriculum reviews and updates ensure compliance with state-mandated expectations while embracing district's unique culture.
• ClassLinkcoreTechnology or IntegrationClassLink provides single sign-on platform for students and staff to access educational resources, library catalogs, and district systems through launchpad.classlink.com/washburn.
• SkywardcoreTechnology or IntegrationSkyward provides student information system (Family Access) used for annual registration, grade reporting (MS/HS), attendance, and meal account management.
• CommonSense MediaminorOthersDistrict uses CommonSense Media digital citizenship curriculum in library programs, teaching students about media balance and responsible technology use.
• Green Ribbon Schools ProgramminorOthersU.S. Department of Education recognition program for environmental sustainability. District recognized for Green & Healthy initiatives including outdoor learning spaces, solar panels, and environmental education.
• National Blue Ribbon Schools ProgramminorOthersU.S. Department of Education recognition program for overall academic excellence. District has received Blue Ribbon School designation.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Spooner Area School District: Small rural northwestern Wisconsin public school district with comparable enrollment scale and operating model. Competes in the broader open-enrollment market for Washburn County-area families and shares similar tax-base and state-aid dynamics.
• Chequamegon School District: Public school district serving Park Falls and surrounding rural Price County communities in northern Wisconsin, with similar enrollment scale and a comparable rural-tax-base funding profile to Washburn Schools.
• Maple School District: Small rural Douglas County (northwestern Wisconsin) public school district with an enrollment size and operating profile close to Washburn's, competing in the same regional open-enrollment and county-level funding environment.
• Ashland Unified School District: Neighboring Chequamegon Bay public school district in Ashland, WI, with a comparable rural enrollment profile and overlapping open-enrollment market with Washburn. Operates traditional K-12 programming and competes directly for in-bound open enrollment students.
• Bayfield School District: Small rural Wisconsin public school district located on Lake Superior near Washburn, serving a comparable community with a similarly tight enrollment scale and a parallel focus on environmental and outdoor learning. Closest functional peer given geography, size, and waterfront setting.

Broad incumbents

• Superior Unified School District: Larger, more urban public school district in Superior, WI, operating a broader portfolio of programs, athletics, and facilities. Serves as the regional incumbent that Washburn competes against for open enrollment students seeking a wider course catalog.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@wsdk12administrator97
• Facebookfacebook.com/people/School-District-of-Washburn/100063628747923
• Instagraminstagram.com/washburn_castle_guards

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Washburn Schools