GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – On May 8th, Green Bay’s school board will be presented with a plan to close 12 buildings. The community group that came up with the recommendation held its final meeting Tuesday evening.
“Up until May 8th, the task force can modify this presentation and their recommendations,” said Chuck Holden, the facilitator of the Green Bay Area Public School District’s facilities task force.
‘Change is difficult’ is a message the task force plans to stress when it presents its plan to the school board.
“They want the school board to understand there is rationale for their recommendation of closing the number of schools they are recommending is based on a lot of work,” said Holden.
Some of the most important rationale, according to the group, is the district currently operates with 1 of every 4 classroom seats being empty. A projected enrollment decline of about 12% over the next 10 years would put that figure to 1 of every 3 seats being empty.
The district also has about a $20 million budget deficit looming for the ’24-’25 school year.
“We don’t want to waste Green Bay Public School tax dollars on empty buildings and empty classrooms when we could dedicate that to programs and teachers,” said Holden.
The schools on the chopping block are MacArthur, Kennedy, Keller, Elmore, Tank, Beaumont, Doty, and Wequiock Elementary schools, along with specialty schools da Vinci and Minoka Hill, Washington Middle, and the three-story district office on Broadway.
The plan also calls for a new west side elementary school, which would require a referendum in April 2024. Franklin, Langlade, and McAuliffe schools would convert to 4K through 8th grade models.
Any school consolidation would not take place until after the ’23-’24 school year.
While the plan could change, FOX 11 has already heard from parents upset their child’s school could be closing.
There will be at least three opportunities for the public to weigh in before the school board votes in June. Details for those are below.
“It’s very much an emotional issue,” said Holden. “If parents and the community weren’t concerned about schools that were potentially closing, we’d be doing something wrong.”
The task force claims for every school that closes or is repurposed, relocated students will be moved to a better learning environment.
Once a plan is approved, the district plans to redraw school boundary lines, with the help of a boundary task force.
The current plan calls for shifting high school students west to help fill empty classrooms and create space at Preble High School, where future growth is expected.
Table Top Discussions
Table Top Discussions will begin with a presentation of the Task Force recommendations by the group that has led the Task Force work (ATS&R). Participants will be assigned to a table and participate in a facilitated discussion about the recommendations. These opportunities allow individuals to not only share their thoughts and opinions, but to also hear each other’s perspectives. Notes will be collected and shared with the Board of Education.
May 9 at 5:30 p.m. at West High School Commons, 966 Shawano Avenue
May 10 at 5:30 p.m. at East High School Commons, 1415 E. Walnut Street
Public Forum
This event will be held at Washington Middle School’s auditorium. Entrance to the school is in the parking lot behind the building. Each individual who signs up to speak will be given three minutes to share their feedback to the Board. The Board of Education will be present to listen only. Individuals wishing to speak will sign up in the auditorium foyer between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. The forum will last until everyone who has signed up has had an opportunity to speak.
May 24 at 4:00 p.m. at Washington Middle School auditorium, 314 S. Baird Street
More information on the Green Bay Area Public School District’s facilities task force.
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