Menomonie School Board Votes to Close Elementary School

A Menomonie elementary school will permanently close at the end of the school year due to teacher turnover and declining enrollment.

At their meeting on Monday night, the School District of the Menomonie Area voted to permanently close Downsville Elementary School. Officials cited declining enrollment and a teacher shortage as the driving factors in the decision. The school board voted 6-3 to permanently close the school.

Declining enrollment, teacher turnover, and budget constraints have put school districts across the state in difficult positions over recent years. In the April election alone, 89 school referendums appeared on ballots across the state. Voters approved about half of those referendum questions. More than half of those ballot measures were operational referendums, as districts seek additional funding from taxpayers just to maintain their current offerings.

Schools that were unable to get their operational referendums approved have often been forced to lay off staff or close schools entirely.

In addition to the teacher shortage, district officials say there are less than 10 students enrolled for kindergarten at the school next year. According to a WEAU report, District Administrator Joe Zydowsky says the remaining students will transfer to other schools in Menomonie. He also says there will be no staff layoffs, as most of the teaching staff planned to retire or leave anyway. Remaining employees will transition into new roles in the district.

The School District of the Menomonie Area is also asking for communtiy input on what to use the Downsville Elementary School building for in the future.