De Pere's schools are getting full. The district plans to build a new high school.

DE PERE — As other Wisconsin school districts grapple with declining enrollment, the De Pere School District is no longer accepting students from outside the district. Why?

It physically doesn't enough space for grades five through 12.

Foxview Intermediate is over capacity, De Pere Middle School is at its recommended capacity, and De Pere High School is almost full.

Over the last decade, the district's open enrollment has increased, growing the district's overall size even as resident student enrollment has leveled out. Open enrollment allows students who don't live within a district's attendance boundaries to opt into a school.

De Pere denied over 70 open enrollment applications in the 2021-22 school year, largely due to a lack of space, according to the most recent data available from the Department of Public Instruction. This year, it shut down open enrollment with the exception of 20 seats in 4K, Superintendent Christopher Thompson said.

In the 2022-23 school year, the district had about 4,500 students enrolled, according to the DPI. This year's enrollment data is not available yet.

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"If we allow (students) to come in in elementary, by the time they get to fifth grade, we're now in a situation where we don't have physical space," he said.

The district's growth is in stark contrast to its neighboring district in Green Bay, which is looking to close and consolidate schools amid years of declining enrollment.

The South Bridge Connector and growth in Ledgeview are expected to increase student population

The De Pere district is in the midst of strategic planning for the next decade; part of that process is analyzing the district's schools and enrollment projections.

Enrollment projections show De Pere will have more students soon. But in the next five years, it could experience about a 6% decrease in its kindergarten population because of declining birth rates. Fewer kids entering the school system in kindergarten usually indicates a lower student population overall.

However, the enrollment projections don't fully account for the number of students opting into the district or how the South Bridge Connector will affect enrollment, Thompson said.

"We are looking at a growth mindset, and we are also very mindful that Ledgeview continues to grow," Thompson said.

From 2010 to 2020, the district's population grew by 11%. While other municipalities in the district's boundaries had modest growth, the town of Ledgeview saw a 35% population increase in that same time period. Thompson said about half of the district's student population comes from Ledgeview.

The district is also keeping in mind the 500 acres of space open for development in the city of De Pere, including the vacant Shopko property downtown.

Thompson said the district will continue to grow by about 50-100 kids each year, but when schools are at capacity, that growth isn't manageable with its current facilities.

The district will likely build another high school, make additions

To deal with the district's growing population, it's looking to build another high school, Thompson told the Press-Gazette. A review of the district's schools by Somerville Architects and Engineers said it should consider additions or new buildings to alleviate crowding and prepare for the future.

The district enlisted a community task force to help make recommendations on what the district should do given its growing pains. The group will announce its recommendations, including one to build a new high school, at Monday's board meeting.

The new high school would fit 1,800 students and be between the current De Pere High School and Dickinson Elementary. De Pere High School would become a middle school for grades seven and eight and house all 4K and early childhood learning services.

The district plans to go to referendum to secure both operational and capital funding to sustain its operations and build the new school, Thompson said.

Operational referendums allow districts to generate more revenue through property taxes to supplement the district's operating budget. Capital referendums allows a district to borrow money, usually in the form of bonds, for a specified purpose, typically large construction projects.

The task force is recommending a $206 million capital referendum for a new high school and to transform the current high school into a middle school.

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: As De Pere School District grows, it looks to build a new high school.