Residents attend a community meeting on possible Wausau Schools consolidation and restructuring. MWC file photo by Mike Leischner
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — School leaders in Wausau held the first of two community open houses on the possible restructuring and consolidation of the district’s schools on Wednesday.
Superintendent Dr. Keith Hilts says after months of focus group-like discussions with residents and several discussions at the board level, it’s now time to see what the community thinks about the idea. “This is about feedback, it’s about engaging in a dialog. We are going to present a lot of information, but we also want to engage the audience in a live discussion.”
District leaders say declining enrollment is making it difficult to even out classes. The number of buildings that staff has to cover means they often have to work out of two or more locations. Additionally, not all students have access to the same programs and learning experiences.
Hilts and others in the administration ranks have been discussing the matter for several months including a pair of community discussion groups that operated over the summer. The discussion began to heat up at recent School Board meetings as well. Last Monday, the group voted to instruct the administration to draft more solid plans. Hilts says that means there are no proposals on the table.
He says it’s also important to remember that they are looking big picture with this discussion as well. That means finding ways to benefit the whole community, which could include turning a current elementary school into a childcare space for district employees and the community. “If we had space available perhaps an existing childcare provider could use that space to expand their capacity. Some of it could be for our employees, and some could be for the broader community.”
Monday’s discussion was the first of two in-person events on the topic. The second is December 7th at Wausau East High School beginning at 5 PM. The district has also set up a website with more information on the proposal along with opportunities to provide public comment to administrators. Surveys are also being conducted online. Those who would prefer to fill out a paper copy of the survey can get one by contacting the Administration Office.
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