APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — An Appleton charter school is moving to a new location. Valley New School was previously located in the City Center Plaza. But that building will be sold to make way for the new Fox Commons redevelopment. This means the school district had to find a new location for the students and staff for the fall.
The school originally opened in 2003 with a goal of providing alternative ways of learning for 7th through 12th graders. After two decades of doing just that, the search for a new home is on.
“It was a challenging situation just based on us not having confirmation of a pending move until June basically. But everybody stayed patient; we worked through it and found a really great space for one year,” Superintendent Greg Hartjes said.
The lease for Valley New School’s temporary location begins on July 1. One of the reasons it’s an appealing option for the district is because the move takes them just down the hall on the second floor of the City Center building.
“By the end of July, we should have the new space functional for the next school year,” Hartjes said.
But the move will only serve as a pit stop for the district. Hartjes said it’s not a permanent solution. They’re receiving a discounted price from the landlord, who they’ve worked with in the past. But it’s not feasible beyond next summer.
“It’s one year only for us in terms of what we can afford, but it does give us the opportunity to spend the next year finding a long-term location for Valley New School,” Hartjes said.
The district has worked with the school’s leadership to find the best spot. Still, navigating a relocation will be a test for the 68 students and four advisors who call Valley New School home.
“Valley New School has been in our current location for 20 years, so the move was a little unexpected at first and came to us suddenly,” Valley New School Co-Founder and Advisor Jennifer Kosloski said.
Yet, Kosloski is happy to finally have more direction on the future of the school she co-founded. She’s also excited that the school will see amenities like windows for the first time.
“We’re looking forward to natural light,” Kosloski said. “We’re looking forward to a much easier move, especially if we’ve going to have to move twice in two years.”
Though they’ll enjoy a larger space while they have it, both the district and the school have their sights on finding a fixed, downtown location.
“I always have loved teaching, but I love Valley New School especially,” Kosloski said. “We are now, I think, excited about moving and looking ahead to the next 20 years.”
The school board unanimously approved the lease at their Monday meeting. It will cost the district is just over $15,000 per month. That lease will end on June 30, 2024.
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