(KWNO)-The Community Task Force is suggesting a significant change in how Winona Area Public Schools utilizes its buildings in order to help the district function more efficiently. At a meeting on Wednesday three groups presented proposals for “grade-level reconfiguration.”
One group proposed making Goodview Elementary School a pre-kindergarten and kindergarten building, Washington-Kosciusko housing grades 1-2 and Jefferson grades 3-4. Another group had a similar idea with Goodview eventually transitioning into an early learning center, Jefferson hosting kindergarten and first grade and moving grades 2-6 to the Winona Middle School. Grades 7-12 would move to the Winona Senior High School.
Several task force members said “grade-level buildings” will make the best use of WAPS’ facilities citing benefits such as easier collaboration and sharing of resources among teachers, students moving in the middle of a school year not having to change schools and better opportunities for specialists to work with students and teachers.
These proposals might foreshadow another referendum. A press release stated the grade-level reconfiguration “could happen first, before a referendum ask, to show the community that the district is dedicated to making the most out of its resources.” The most recent referendum last April failed to pass. One of the task force groups also suggested partnering with local businesses to offset some of the cost for projects like renovations to the Career and Technical Education space, which was part of the failed referendum.
The task force meets again on December 20 at the Winona Area Learning Center followed by two more meetings in January. The group will then present a proposal to the school board.
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