MENASHA — The Menasha Joint School District revealed they have been discussing expanding childcare using the UW-Oshkosh Fox Cities campus, which is set to close at the end of this school year.
In a news release last Friday and in a business meeting of the MJSD Board of Education Monday, MJSD superintendent Matt Zimmerman laid out a vision for MJSD’s uses for the UW-Oshkosh Fox Cities campus. The district is in talks to convert the campus into a childcare center and preserve other buildings.
Outagamie and Winnebago county executives supported this plan in a joint news release Tuesday. However, the plan has detractors, including some who wondered about the future of the Jefferson Elementary School building.
Why is UWO Fox Cities closing?
UW-Oshkosh Fox Cities will join several other UW branch campuses closing across Wisconsin at the end of the 2024-2025 school year, due to declining enrollment.
As the clock ticks, members of the community have expressed interest in preserving parts of the campus; a petition to save the Communication Arts Center has gathered over 1,500 signatures.
Signs point to the many facilities located on the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh at Fox Cities campus. Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin Signs point to the many facilities located on the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh at Fox Cities campus.
What is MJSD’s plan for the UWO Fox Cities campus?
Not only does the district hope to keep the existing childcare center open, they plan to establish multiple childcare centers at the campus. They hope to address the loss of childcare spots in the Menasha area, which has posed “significant challenges” to area families, the district said.
The district also plans on preserving the planetarium, museum, community gardens and performing arts center, which a Friday news release called “tremendous community assets.”
What needs to happen next?
Currently, the UWO Fox Cities campus is jointly owned by Outagamie and Winnebago Counties. During the meeting, Zimmerman said MJSD was working on a proposal with those two counties. Once that proposal is approved by both counties, the school board will vote on the final agreement.
How have local leaders and the community reacted?
Zimmerman said Monday that the district would “work with the process of engaging with the community” to determine whether MJSD could carry out the sale. And, in the district’s Friday Facebook post featuring the news release, several commenters reacted positively to the news.
In a press release Tuesday, Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson and Winnebago County Executive Jon Doemel said Zimmerman’s plan for the campus aligned with their goal of continuing the site as “a cultural and economic touchstone for our community.”
However, others voiced their objections at Monday’s Board of Education meeting. During open comment, Scott Sevenich, a Common Council representative for District 3, questioned the need for the UWO Fox Cities campus when Jefferson Elementary School was already closed due to a $3.5 million budget deficit last year. Two board members, Chad Lewis and Steve Thompson, echoed those concerns during the meeting itself.
What is still unknown?
The details on the timeline, cost and funding for MJSD’s plan for the campus are “at the beginning stages,” according to Zimmerman.
As for Jefferson Elementary, Zimmerman said Monday the district has discussed turning the building into a Head Start site due to its smaller size. However, re-purposing the building has not yet come to a vote.
Rebecca Loroff is a K-12 education reporter for the USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin. She welcomes story tips and feedback. Contact her at rloroff@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Menasha school district announces plans for UW-Oshkosh Fox Cities campus
Read the full article here
