KENOSHA, Wis. — Jane Vernon Elementary parent Kristina Kasemir doesn’t know what she’ll do if her daughter’s school is included in Kenosha Unified’s Rightsizing process.
"I have no idea. None,” Kasemir said. “I really don't even know what other school is in my area.”
Due to declining enrollment and schools operating at low capacity, Kenosha Unified is preparing to consolidate schools, change school boundaries, and merge programs starting in 2024-25.
Multiple elementary schools, Washington Middle School, Lincoln Middle School, and Reuther Central High School have been identified for closure or possible restructuring.
Kenosha Unified is set to reveal several scenarios at Tuesday’s school board meeting. A final decision is expected on Dec. 12.
"I'm sad and kind of annoyed,” Kasemir said. “I don't understand the closing of the school to be honest. I don't understand why you'd ever close down a school."
The district is closing schools based on declining enrollment and a projected budget deficit of $15 million next year.
"That number is very fluid,” Kenosha Unified Superintendent Jeffrey Weiss said. “Unfortunately, it just seems to be going one direction."
Kenosha Unified will all but certainly operate in a different capacity next year. It’s a reality that is starting to set in for teachers, parents, and students.
"We understand that there is a lot of emotion when we talk about closing schools,” Weiss said.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
