Green Bay School Board Votes to Close Elementary School, Continues District Restructuring
In a unanimous decision, the Green Bay School Board has voted to close Wequiock Elementary as part of the district’s ongoing restructuring efforts. This comes after a community task force recommended the closure of ten other schools earlier this year. The closure of Wequiock Elementary, which serves grades 4K to five, will take effect at the end of the current school year.
Board President Laura McCoy acknowledged the difficulty of the decision, stating, This is a painful vote. We are heading to making other votes like this. The students from Wequiock Elementary will be transferred to Red Smith K-8, which is approximately 4 miles away. The consolidation is expected to result in average class sizes of 15 students for 4K and between 20 and 24 students for grades K-5.
The closure of Wequiock Elementary is projected to save the district an estimated $884,000 per year. Superintendent Claude Tiller noted that no decisions have been made regarding the future of the Wequiock property. However, Board Vice President James Lyerly expressed the need for a resolution outlining when the district should decide on the fate of closed buildings to prevent unnecessary maintenance and utility costs.
Wequiock Elementary is known for being home to the Children’s Center for Environmental Science, which integrates environmental education into daily instruction. The program will be moved to Red Smith in the 2024-25 school year, including the greenhouse, chicken coop, and other outdoor structures, at a one-time cost of approximately $60,000. The district has also secured agreements with the City of Green Bay to allow Red Smith students to utilize Red Smith Park for the environmental program.
In addition to the school closures, the Green Bay School Board approved an 8% base wage increase for educators, paraprofessionals, trades staff, administrators, and other employees. However, this decision will contribute to a projected budget deficit of $14 million by next year and $20 million by the 2025-26 school year.
The Green Bay School District is undergoing these changes as part of its Facilities Master Plan, which aims to reduce operational costs by 10%. The next steps in the planning process involve hiring a consulting firm to analyze the equity of the closure and consolidation recommendations and developing school boundaries with input from a community advisory committee.
While the closure of Wequiock Elementary and other schools may present challenges, the Green Bay School District is determined to create a more efficient and sustainable educational system. The decisions made by the School Board are driven by the need to optimize resources and provide the best educational experience for students in the district.
