Neenah Joint School District releases boundary proposal; recommends closing Hoover Elementary
NEENAH - Yet another Neenah school may close soon, with the Neenah Joint School District recommending closing Hoover Elementary School in its proposal Tuesday for new elementary school boundaries.
The recommendation is part of a facilities improvement plan that started in 2018. The boundary shifts have already resulted in closing Roosevelt Elementary School on Doty Island at the end of the 2022-23 school year, relocating Alliance Charter School from Roosevelt to what was formerly Wilson Elementary, and sending students formerly at Roosevelt and Wilson to the new Horace Mann Elementary.
On Feb. 6, the district laid out its newest recommendations for the second phase of redrawing the boundaries.
Why is Hoover Elementary closing, and where will its students and staff go?
The district has recommended closing Hoover because it was one of the smallest schools in the district and because geographically, the school is close to other district schools. Closing the school would also save the district between $473,398 and $653,398, because the district's overall staff would decrease. Building maintenance costs at Hoover would also halve, saving the district $45,350.
While many of Hoover's students would be reassigned to Horace Mann Elementary, Tullar and Coolidge Elementary would also receive some of the Hoover students as well, the district said. Hoover staff members are expected to be able to find other jobs within the district.
The district plans to keep the Hoover Elementary building in case enrollment rises again or programming shifts are needed.
What does the district recommend for new boundaries?
The district said the boundaries were drawn using a software program that tracks where students live as a way to distribute them evenly between schools. It presented maps to the community in December and January, with the final map being presented last Tuesday.
Most of the boundary revisions are focused on the southern portion of the district. Closing Hoover would divide its boundaries into three parts split between Tullar, Horace Mann and Coolidge.
Another of the changes would extend Coolidge's boundary west and south to Woodenshoe Road and Winnebago County G, taking some of the neighborhoods previously assigned to Lakeview.
What schools would be affected by the boundary revisions?
In addition to closing Hoover Elementary, there are changes for other schools in the works:
Lakeview Elementary would reduce its total enrollment from 346 to a projected 276 to reduce overcrowding and in anticipation of its neighborhoods' future growth. The 86 students would move mostly to Coolidge Elementary.
Horace Mann Elementary would increase its enrollment from 302 to a projected 440 to become a full, four-section school, with four classes to each grade level. Most of the new enrollment would come from students from Hoover.
Coolidge Elementary would also increase its enrollment from 274 to a projected 326, taking over 100 new students from areas previously assigned to Lakeview and Hoover.
Clayton Elementary, Spring Road Elementary and Taft Elementary schools will not be affected by the boundary shifts, according to the district.
When do the boundary changes go into effect?
If the school board approves the changes, they are set to go into effect for the 2024-25 school year as part of the long-range plan. However, if Hoover isn't closed in 2024-25, the district plans to close the school the following school year.
Can I still send my child to their current elementary school next year?
The district plans to allow applications for boundary exemptions for students in kindergarten through third grade. Boundary exemptions allow caregivers to send students to an in-district school other than the one assigned to their address.
All of next year's fourth-graders would be allowed to stay at their current school next year through the boundary exemption process, the district said, though caregivers would have to provide their own transportation and possibly send the students' siblings elsewhere. Students enrolled in intensive special education would also remain at the school where they receive services.
The district said it would also consider boundary exemptions for the following situations, in order of priority:
Students who attended a school through an in-district transfer during the current school year.
Students in any grade returning to their area school during the current school year.
Students who attended a school on a boundary exemption during the current school year.
All remaining requests for boundary exemptions.
The window to apply for a boundary exemption for the next school year is March 1-15. For caregivers with questions or concerns about the boundary exemption process, the school board has planned an informational meeting on Feb. 22.
Why is the district making these changes?
This is the first time Neenah has redrawn its boundaries since 2007, and it's part of "a process that occurs in every school district as housing patterns change," the district said.
The new boundaries are meant to ensure that students can attend the school near where they live and to ensure district resources are being used efficiently, with an "equitable distribution" of students and resources. Some schools are below capacity while others, especially Lakeview, are overcrowded. The new boundaries will also help ensure that the school's student demographics accurately reflect their surrounding community.
What's the next step in the process?
The school board is scheduled to vote on the boundaries Feb. 20. If the proposal passes, families affected by the change will be notified.
Once the process of redrawing the boundaries is completed, the district will also develop a plan for student transportation.
Reporter Madison Lammert contributed to this report.
Rebecca Loroff is an education reporter for the USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin. Contact her with story tips and feedback at 920-907-7801 or rloroff@gannett.com. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @RebeccaLoroff.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: NJSD boundaries update: District recommends closing Hoover, releases final maps
