Winona Area Public Schools previews 2026 budget; projects about 12.9 FTE net staffing reduction and holds fund balance near target

Superintendent Brzezinski told the Winona Area Public School District board on May 15 that the administration is finalizing the preliminary 2026 budget and shared a staffing snapshot that shows a net reduction of about 12.9 full‑time equivalent positions for 2025–26.

The staffing summary reflects retirements, resignations, position eliminations and funding‑stream shifts already processed through human resources and the consent agenda, Brzezinski said. “The very first one on the list, the director of building and grounds, that’s a position that we’ve held open now since last July. Our intent is to continue to hold that open into the 25‑26 school year,” he said.

Why it matters: the staffing changes and budget moves influence class sizes, program coverage and the district’s ability to preserve an unreserved fund balance within the board‑adopted target. The board has also approved building reconfiguration steps that administrators said were baked into budget modeling.

Key figures and provisions - Net staffing: administration…