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Parents, teachers press board to preserve Katherine Johnson virtual academy as budget options loom
Summary
Parents and staff urged the Green Bay Area Public Schools Board to keep Katherine Johnson Academy open after district budget materials listed closing or restructuring it as an option to address a projected deficit. Board members asked for program data before making a decision.
Tanya Cioni, a fourth- and fifth-grade teacher at Katherine Johnson Academy, and a parent told the Green Bay Area Public Schools Board on March 10 that closing or restructuring the district’s K–8 virtual Katherine Johnson program would remove an essential nontraditional option for students.
Cioni said the program’s enrollment has “more than doubled in 16 months,” describing a jump from 42 students in late 2023 to about 95 currently and noting 119 unique students served so far this school year. “Closing Katherine Johnson Academy would eliminate the only nontraditional option available to all elementary students,” she said, asking the board to visit classes before deciding on any restructuring.
Parent Sarah Erdman Savage said the program helped her daughter recover from bullying and find success outside a traditional classroom. “The flexibility and the higher amount of responsibility…just really worked for her,” Savage said, urging the board to keep the school open.
Board members and staff discussed KJ in the context of broader budget planning. Rick Crossan, the district’s chief financial officer, included “reduce or close KG Academy School” among options to trim the forecasted $10–$12 million deficit for the 2025–26 school year, estimating up to $800,000 in savings. Board members asked staff for program-level data to understand outcomes and enrollment patterns before making decisions.
Board member Lynn, who said she visits KJ classrooms and receives monthly reports as the board’s Head Start representative, suggested exploring growth and publicity efforts before cutting the program. Board member Andrew and others expressed similar reluctance to eliminate a program some families call a lifeline. Several board members asked staff to provide additional evidence on attendance, state assessment reporting and how transient enrollment affects measurable outcomes.
No formal board decision or vote on KJ was recorded in the meeting. Staff said program- and grade-level data, including state report card measures and counts of full-year versus transient students, would be provided to inform any future action.
The public comments and board discussion occurred during the public forum and the budget discussion sections of the March 10 work session. The board has scheduled further budget discussions and is expected to propose specific actions as part of its work this spring.
