Parents reflect on what makes Wequiock Elementary special on its final first day of school

GREEN BAY — As students throughout the Green Bay School District returned to the classroom Tuesday, students at Wequiock Elementary did so for the last time.

The Green Bay School Board voted to close the school after this year as the district consolidates to address a multimillion-dollar fiscal cliff.

Wequiock serves grades 4K to five and is one of the district's smallest schools, with 116 students last year, according to the Department of Public Instruction's enrollment data. Students will move to Red Smith K-8 starting in the 2024-25 school year.

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The first day of school can be a joyous time for parents, teachers and kids alike. But this year's first day at Wequiock is bittersweet, according to Kate Janiak. Her daughter, Eleanor, is a second-grader at the school.

Janiak said she's going to miss the school's small-community feel.

"All the teachers know all the students," she said. "Eleanor knows pretty much all the other kids in the class and in the school."

The school is also home to the Children's Center for Environmental Science, which incorporates an environmental focus into its instruction. Education in and about nature can improve behavior, attendance and overall student achievement, according to the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

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Janiak said she enjoys the outdoor learning opportunities Wequiock offers. Eleanor has grown wild rice, gone snowshoeing and helped with the school chickens, which taught her how to care for the chickens she has at home. Eleanor has even taught her mother some new facts about the environment.

"They went down to the Wequiock Creek, and she told me that based on the temperature of the water, (that) indicates how fast the water's flowing in the creek. I didn't even know that."

Jessica Medina is the parent of Jack and Austin who are starting third and first grades, respectively. She loves that her kids get outdoor, hands-on instruction.

"It's so much better for them to be outside, even if it's like once a week versus sitting in a classroom every day," she said.

In the spring, her son Jack helped plant the school's garden with pumpkins and carrots, which spurred his interest in her summer garden. Medina's husband works for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and her sons get to connect with their father about the environment and what they're learning in school.

Leah Weakley is the parent of first-grader Emerson and 4K student Evelyn. She said the school has been their community.

"Its small nature allowed the families and staff to interact on a very personal level, which has been great for our kids and their education," she said. "The hands-on and outdoor learning is so great for kids’ mental health. That’s what we will miss most."

Parent Dana Hollatz has three children at Wequiock. She credits her children's academic success to the one-on-one instruction they received thanks to the small class sizes.

"They excelled at most everything they did because the teachers loved the curriculum. They took years to create a unique school based on science and environmental studies," she said. "Our oldest son, Abel, wanted to learn more about agriculture and our littlest two, Rylie and Ryker, had the chance to learn right out of the gate how to recycle and to compost hands on."

Medina said she is glad they have one last year at the Wequiock so she can prepare her sons for the transition to Red Smith next year.

"It is kind of sad because I know they're going to really miss the school, and they're gonna miss some of their friends," she said. "I'm sure some of their friends will go to a different district after this year."

Janiak isn't sure whether Eleanor will be attending Red Smith next year, but she plans to include her in the decision. As a member of the parent-teacher organization, she's looking forward to making the most of this last year.

"We're gonna go out big and create a lot of things that can have lasting memories for the kids," she said.

Danielle DuClos is a Report for America corps member who covers K-12 education for the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Contact her at dduclos@gannett.com. Follow on Twitter @danielle_duclos. You can directly support her work with a tax-deductible donation at GreenBayPressGazette.com/RFA or by check made out to The GroundTruth Project with subject line Report for America Green Bay Press Gazette Campaign. Address: The GroundTruth Project, Lockbox Services, 9450 SW Gemini Drive, PMB 46837, Beaverton, Oregon 97008-7105.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Wequiock Elementary starts final year as school's closure looms