FOND DU LAC (NBC 26) — Following two failed referendums, the Fond du Lac school board is recommending the closure of Roberts Elementary School and the Stem Academy building.
The Stem Academy however would be housed inside Woodworth Middle School for the 2027-28 school year and beyond.
"And then we looked more in depth at those schools," Moder said. "And when we looked at enrollment, that really put Roberts at the top."
School board president Katie Moder says the proposal to close Roberts and move the Stem Academy was based off community input.
Moder says Roberts with 261 students has the lowest enrollment of any school in the district.
I spoke with Mary Sankey who lives in Oakfield and says her foster children attended Roberts.
"We were always pleased with the additional resources that school did provide those children," Sankey said. "And for us it was just a shock that the school was even considered."
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Moder encourages parents of children who do attend Roberts to open enroll in the future to other schools within the district should the proposal pass.
"We are hoping to do open enrollment early," Moder said. "So that way we can then do staffing to meet that."
Moder also says that the district is looking at finding new uses for the closed schools. Potentially renting them to outside organizations.
"This gives us an opportunity for revenue," Moder said. "There are some organizations that are interested in renting both stem as well as Roberts."
Moder also says that from now until September the district will hold listening sessions to hear from the public about the proposed changes.
With the first of those taking place at their June 22 board meeting.
