GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Students, parents, and teachers bid farewell to three Green Bay schools on Sunday.
Late last August, the Green Bay Area Public School District (GBAPS) Board of Education voted to close Wequiock Elementary, and in October, the Board approved the closures of Tank and Keller Elementary schools. It’s part of an effort to downsize the district amid declining enrollment and a budget deficit.
Sunday morning, former students and families were given the chance to roam the halls and classrooms of Wequiock Elementary one last time.
“It’s pretty emotional today, but it’s really a joyous day,” says Joanna Wiitanen, a long-time administrator at the school. “It feels like the family coming back, it’s been wonderful to see the kids all grown up now that are coming back, and the people who haven’t been here in years be able to come and say goodbye to a wonderful place that’s impacted them.”
“Personally, I’m excited for the next step. Change sometimes is hard, but there’s always something good to come out of change, so I think it’s exciting for the kids to have a new opportunity,” Wiitanen adds.
After spending so many years at Wequiock, Wiitanen says seeing the students come back is a little bittersweet.
“What surprises me is how many different things these students are doing. Some of them are going to college, some of them have now become teachers themselves, some of them went right into the working world, some of them are parents. It’s just amazing to see all of these kids and they’ve all made their way and found their place in the world, which is great.”
Keller Elementary and Tank Elementary also held a final celebration at the schools on Sunday.
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