It's back to the drawing board: GBAPS board grapples with boundary overhaul

It's Back to the Drawing Board for School Boundaries in Green Bay.

• The Green Bay Area Public School District board meets Tuesday to discuss school boundary changes.
• Challenges include declining enrollment, aging facilities, and budget constraints.
• GBAPS serves 18,000 students, facing significant enrollment decline.
• Feedback led to the development of a third option for boundary changes.

Tuesday, at the Green Bay Area Public School District headquarters, the board is set to convene on the future of school boundaries in the district. With the challenges of declining enrollment, aging facilities, and budget constraints, the district continues to seek solutions.

According to GBAPS, the district currently serves 18,000 students, but declining enrollment poses a significant challenge. Feedback from previous proposals has led the school board to develop a third option. This scenario entails significant changes.

The following information was provided by a press release from GBAPS:

· Construct a new 700 student west side elementary on Kennedy site

· Consolidates MacArthur with Keller/Kennedy Elementary School

· Close Elmore Elementary

· Attendance boundary would be split between Chappell Elementary and Lincoln Elementary

· Extend Beaumont Elementary Boundary east to the Fox River

· The portion of Tank’s attendance boundary south of Mason would be moved to Beaumont to accommodate Elmore students moving to Lincoln. Students in this attendance area would be placed in their original feeder pattern to Lombardi/Southwest.

· If this option were to happen, the Board would be asked to allow Tank families who were already moved to Lincoln in the 2024-25 school year to be able to stay at Lincoln, if they choose.

· Consolidate Doty Elementary and Langlade Elementary

· Committee will be asked to make a recommendation on which school to close

· Modify the Sullivan Elementary/Nicolet Boundary

· A small portion of the Nicolet attendance area would move to Sullivan

· Modify the Danz Elementary/Martin Elementary Boundary

· Martin Elementary boundary would move north to Deckner Avenue

· Modify the Webster Elementary/Langlade Elementary Boundary

· Webster Elementary boundary to move south to Hwy 172

· The Boundary Adjustment Advisory Committee will also review alternate options, which include:

· Construct a 60- student westside elementary school (the same size as Baird Elementary located on the east side of the city), for the consolidation of MacArthur with Kennedy/Keller.  With this option MacArthur’s attendance boundary would be split between the new elementary school and King Elementary.

· Close Elmore Elementary with the attendance boundary being split between Chappell, Fort Howard and Lincoln. This option may be needed if a referendum fails for a new westside elementary school in order to close both Elmore Elementary and MacArthur Elementary.

The community will have opportunities to provide feedback on the final proposal from the committee prior to a recommendation being presented to the Board of Education.

There is no definitive timeline for the proposed boundary adjustments and any changes would require approval through a referendum. It's crucial to note that these boundary changes will not impact the upcoming 204-25 school year.

Green Bay Neighborhood reporter, Karl Winter will have the details of Tuesday’s meeting on NBC 26 News at 10.