Superior School Dist. Considers Consolidating Schools

SUPERIOR, Wis. — The Superior School District is beginning discussions to potentially consolidate its elementary schools from six to five.

Superintendent Amy Starzecki said a 2022 district study showed the elementary schools are being underutilized — sitting at only 71 percent capacity.

So, because of that and a significant budget shortfall coming in 2024, the district believes downsizing into five elementary schools is best, according to Starzecki.

Parents and staff are being encouraged to apply to be on a School Consolidation Advisory Committee, which will make a recommendation to the school board in the spring.

Below is Starzecki’s letting to the district:

February 7, 2023

 

Dear Spartan Community,

I want to take a moment to share some important district updates that impact students, families, and staff in the School District of Superior.  The last several years have been filled with great successes and difficult challenges.  We have many things to be proud of in our school district.  Every day we see the amazing work of our students and the growth they are making toward graduation.  Additionally, we have experienced challenges in recent years with COVID, workforce shortages, budget shortfall, etc., that require our school district to think about the next steps for our district.

During the Monday, February 6, school board meeting, it was decided that a group of stakeholders would come together to provide feedback on the future of elementary schools. During this board meeting, information was shared regarding the most recent school capacity study completed in 2022. Results of this study show that the district is underutilizing our elementary schools at only 71% capacity. The district has the capability of educating our elementary student population in five elementary schools instead of six. You can view this discussion on our YouTube Channel, where school board meetings are archived.

Considering the significant budget shortfall the district will be experiencing in 2024, the district feels the need to consider if consolidation of elementary schools is the best option for our school district. Any decisions made would not be in place until Fall 2024.

We are looking to create a School Consolidation Advisory Committee to review data and make a recommendation to the school board this spring about the next steps regarding possible school consolidation. We would like equal representation from each elementary school, including parents and staff. We are looking for parent representatives from each elementary school. Committee members must commit to the following:

 

• There will be 2-4 meetings (depending on how quickly we come to a consensus) in Feb-April. The meetings will be from 4:30-6:00pm. Food will be provided.
• Committee members must commit to attending every meeting. Three dates have been secured at this time: February 20, March 2, and March 23.
• The goal is to bring a recommendation to the April board meeting. If more time is needed, this can happen in May or June. We will ask this committee’s representatives to share with the Board the process used by the committee and the recommendation from the committee.

It is important to note that regardless of the decision to consolidate elementary schools, the district will be looking to restructure elementary school boundaries for the 2024-25 school year in an effort to create a more even distribution of our elementary student population. This process would begin next fall and again involve a committee to assist in the decision-making.

Please complete this form if you are interested in being on this committee. It is essential to have equal representation from each school. We ask for one staff member and one parent from each elementary school. If we get more requests, then we can accommodate them. I will work with the principals to create a balanced team.

We will post the notes and agendas for each meeting on our website to keep our school community informed throughout the process. Updates will be housed under the “District News” tab.

Thank you for your continued support, understanding and partnership. I know that together, we will ensure that our district’s future is bright and high-quality education is provided to all students in the School District of Superior.

Sincerely,

Dr. Amy Starzecki

District Administrator