GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A variety of school changes are being contemplated by the Green Bay Area Public School District’s facilities committee, including multiple building closures. But the district is reminding people these are just discussion points at this stage.
Confronted with declining enrollment, the district has a panel of more than two dozen people looking at enrollment trends, community demographics, repair/improvement needs at buildings, boundary lines, and related issues. The school board is expected to vote on the plan in June, with nothing being implemented until after the 2023-24 academic year.
“I’m confident that the Task Force will provide recommendations that are in the best interest of our students, families, staff and community,” stated Chief Operating Officer Joshua Patchak. “Based on the questions from Task Force members and the information that is shared out from their small group discussions, it is evident that they are focused on ensuring equity, conscientious of short and long-term costs, and making sure that their decisions will have a positive impact on the overall Greater Green Bay community.”
In a news release Thursday, the district urged restraint while reviewing the work so far:
“Members of the public are encouraged to withhold judgment regarding the current conceptual schemas, and to recognize that this is a process, which will include an opportunity for community feedback, prior to a Board vote,” the statement said.
The study panel met Wednesday, and reviewed seven different scenarios.
Among the commonalities of the options:
- Students currently crossing the River from the east-side to schools on the west will no longer do so
- Washington is no longer used as a school
- MacArthur, Tank and Wequiock are closed
- The District Office Building is closed
The dollar figure for each option includes facility repairs across the district, demolition and construction costs, security upgrades, and consolidation costs.
Among the options in each:
OPTION 1.1, MINIMUM NEW CONSTRUCTION
- Close eight buildings: MacArthur, Tank, Elmore, Langlade, DaVinci, Minoka Hill, Washington and Wequiock.
- West repurposed as a middle school, DOB education
- McAuliffe repurposed as a K8
- Franklin repurposed as an elementary school
- Lincoln repurposed as an alternative schools
- Addition at Southwest
- Total project cost, $451 million
OPTION 2.1, NEW HIGH SCHOOL
- Close eight buildings: MacArthur, Tank, Beaumont, Franklin, DaVinci, Doty, Nicolet, Wequiock
- West repurposed as a middle school
- East repurposed as a shared middle/gifted school
- Washington repurposed as district office
- New high school on the east side
- Addition at Southwest
- Total project cost, $469 million
OPTION 3.1, TWO REPURPOSED K8 EACH BANK, CLOSE WEST
- Close ten buildings: MacArthur, Beaumont, Tank, Elmore, Lincoln, West, DaVinci, Webster, Langlade, Wequiock
- Kennedy, Franklin, Wilder and Doty repurposed as K8
- Washington repurposed as district office
- Addition at Southwest
- Total project cost, $477 million
OPTION 4.1, TWO REPURPOSED K8 EACH BANK, WEST AS MIDDLE
- Close ten buildings: MacArthur, Jackson, Beaumont, Tank, Lincoln, Elmore, Langlade, Webster, Nicolet, DaVinci, Wequiock
- Doty, McAuliffe, Lombardi, and Franklin repurposed as K8
- West repurposed as middle/gifted school
- Washington repurposed as district office
- Addition at Southwest
- Total project cost, $431 million
OPTION 5.1, TWO REPURPOSED K8 EACH BANK, CLOSE SULLIVAN
- Close nine buildings: MacArthur, Jackson, Tank, Elmore, Langlade, Sullivan, Washington, Minoka Hill, Wequiock
- Doty, McAuliffe, Kennedy repurposed as K8
- West repurposed as K12 IB
- Beaumont repurposed as district office
- Franklin repurpose as elementary
- Lincoln repurpose as alternative school
- Addition at Southwest
- Total project cost, $503 million
OPTION 6, NEW WEST SIDE ELEMENTARY
- Close nine buildings: MacArthur, Kennedy, Jackson, Tank, Doty, Washington, Wequiock, Minoka Hill, DaVinci
- MaAuliffe, Langlade repurposed as K8
- Webster repurposed as gifted school
- West repurposed as middle/DOB education
- New west side elementary
- Franklin repurposed as elementary
- Addition at Southwest
- Total project cost, $496 million
OPTION 7, NEW WEST SIDE ELEMENTARY, WEST AS 6-12
- Close eight buildings: MacArthur, Kennedy, Jackson, Tank, DaVinci, Doty, Washington, Wequiock
- McAuliffe, Langlade, Franklin repurposed as K8
- West repurposed as 6-12/DOB education
- New west side elementary
- Webster repurposed as gifted school
- Total project cost, $468 million
The task force’s next meeting will be March 8 at 6 p.m., at West High School, 966 Shawano Avenue. Following that meeting, community members will be asked to participate in an online survey. The results will be provided to the task force to advise them on overall community support for various concepts.
