WAUKESHA, Wis. — The Waukesha School District's decision to close Hawthorne Elementary School has left parents and neighbors frustrated and worried about the future of their community. The district approved closing three elementary schools: Hawthorne, Bethesda and Whittier.
Julius Grant moved his family specifically to send his daughter to Hawthorne Elementary. He grew up in San Jose, exposed to multiple languages, and wanted his daughter to attend a dual language school like Hawthorne.
"We wanted her to go to this school," Grant said, nodding to the school across the street from his home.
Watch: Waukesha parents, neighbors voice concerns over Hawthorne Elementary closure
Grant planned to enroll his daughter in Waukesha Schools next year, but feels parents never had a fair chance to influence the outcome, despite Hawthorne appearing repeatedly on closure lists.
"I feel like they were heard, but it didn't feel like anybody cared," Grant said.
Neighbor Stephanie Barker expressed disappointment with the decision.
"I don't like it," Barker said. "It will be hard not seeing any of that stuff nearby anymore."
The closures have sparked concern in the Hawthorne neighborhood, where nearly 60 percent of students are considered economically disadvantaged with limited access to reliable transportation. Suzette Tyree, another neighbor, says she sees families relying on walking to school.
"I see a lot of kids walking, and where are they going to walk to and how safe are they going to be on their own?" Tyree said.
The district's plan mentions closing, repurposing or selling the three elementary schools but provides no specifics about what will occupy the Hawthorne building. This uncertainty has neighbors concerned about property values.
"Property values," Barker said when asked about her concerns.
"Definitely, that is a concern," Tyree added.
The school district will discuss the next steps for the affected schools and students at the Dec. 10 school board meeting.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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