Hallway at Green Bay West High School March 8, 2023. PC: Fox 11 Online
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The committee studying how the Green Bay Area Public School District should address declining enrollment has narrowed its focus, and both remaining options keep West as a high school but with additional programming to help fill the building.
In the face of declining enrollment, a facilities taskforce and consultant have discussed a dozen different options, all of which include closing schools and reconfiguring attendance boundaries. Recommendations are expected to be forwarded to the school board at a May 8 meeting. The Board of Education will vote in June. Any approved plans would not start being implemented until the 2023-24 school year.
With results of a recent public survey in hand, the study committee met Wednesday. According to a letter from Interim Supt. Vicki Bayer sent Thursday, the remaining options both meet the goals of reducing the district’s operating costs by 10%.
Several of the previously discussed options included closing West, sending its students to Southwest. Neither of the remaining options include that choice.
Preble has the highest high school population by several hundred students, but neither of these plans move any students out of Preble.
Specifically, the options listed as Schema 10 and 12 are moving forward, Bayer said. Each plan has multiple elements, although elements of each could be selected.
Schema 10
- Close Keller, MacArthur, and Kennedy elementary, combining into a new building at the Kennedy site
- Close Jackson, Tank, DaVinci, Minoka Hill, Washington, Wequiock and Doty schools
- Repurpose McAuliffe, Franklin and Langlade as K-8
- Repurpose Webster as gifted school
- Repurpose Lincoln as district office building for business operations
- Repurpose West as 6-12 school, plus district office building for education operations
Schema 12
- Close Keller, MacArthur, and Kennedy elementary, combining into a new building at the Kennedy site
- Close Beaumont, Tank, Doty, Elmore, DaVinci, Minoka Hill, and Wequiock
- Close Washington, repurpose as district office building
- Repurpose Langlade, McAuliffe, and Franklin as K-8
- Repurpose Lincoln as alternate school
- Repurpose West as high school and home for John Dewey Academy of Learning
- Repurpose Webster as gifted school
Moving forward, the district has two different types of events planned for public feedback: table top discussions and a public forum.
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.
Tuesday, May 9, 2023 at 5:30 p.m.
- West High School Commons, 966 Shawano Avenue
Wednesday, May 10, 2023 at 5:30 p.m.
- 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.
Wednesday, May 24, 2023 at 4:00 p.m.
- Washington Middle School auditorium, 314 S. Baird Street
Additionally, after the task force makes its recommendations, another online feedback form will be posted.
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