Winona board discusses school reconfiguration, proposes elementary attendance-boundary changes for 2025–26

The Winona Area Public School District on Feb. 6 discussed a reconfiguration plan that would shift kindergarten to Goodview Elementary and revise elementary attendance areas for the 2025–26 school year.

Superintendent Kevin Brzezinski presented the district's recommended changes, saying, "All kindergarten students will attend Goodview Elementary." He told the board the recommendation would make the current Goodview attendance area part of the Jefferson attendance area and would keep the existing boundary between WK Elementary and Jefferson unchanged. Brzezinski also said, "All students in grades 1 through 4 of the Rios program would attend WK Elementary." He noted that some special-education programs may be exceptions to attendance-area assignments and that the district will communicate with families affected by those exceptions.

The nut graf: The proposed map is intended to reduce disruption by moving established cohorts together (for example, moving all Goodview students together into Jefferson) while balancing student populations between buildings. The board was given enrollment and classroom-section projections and asked to consider transportation logistics, classroom staffing, and special-education placement decisions now scheduled for February.

Board members and staff discussed several operational issues tied to the proposal. Director Slavi said the plan aims to reduce the current imbalance between WK (about 223 students in K—) and Jefferson (about 325 students in K—). The presenter said that under the proposal WK is projected to require 13 general-education class sections in grades 1— next year and Jefferson would likely reduce from its current 16 sections, though exact class counts depend on final enrollment and assignment rounds.

Board members raised logistical concerns. Directors asked about bus routes, the potential to stagger school start/end times by small increments (for example, a 10-minute stagger), and how that might affect transportation contracts. Brzezinski said staggered start times would be a minor routing adjustment if undertaken and cited other districts that use staggered schedules to improve route efficiency.

Special education placement was a frequent subject. Brzezinski told the board that Goodview would need the full scope of services (including kindergarten-level supports) and that several setting-specific programs (for example a setting-3 ASD program or setting-3 EBD program) may remain tied to a particular school regardless of a family's home attendance area. He emphasized that decisions about program placement have staffing implications and that the district identified February as a decision window so families and staffing plans can be finalized.

Staff described the teacher-assignment process: existing kindergarten teachers have been given an "assignment priorities form" (informally called the blue slip) to indicate whether they want to remain at kindergarten or prioritize a particular school. Brzezinski said rounds of assignment forms will continue over the next month to determine classroom staffing.

Board members also asked about communication and family logistics. The district plans a single kindergarten open house on Feb. 24 at Goodview and later building open houses for Jefferson (April 14) and WK (April 21) for families new to each school. Staff said preschool re-enrollment for current families opens Feb. 17 and new preschool enrollments begin March 1. The board discussed possible single-drop-off points and other supports for families impacted by the changes.

On facilities and classroom moves, staff said they will review which furniture and instructional resources must move and which items can remain; some rooms' furniture may stay in place while other classroom materials will require packing and relocation. Brzezinski and board members noted past summer moves related to geothermal projects informed the district's planning and the district intends to set aside capital funds for unanticipated facility needs at Goodview.

The presentation concluded with staff asking board members to send questions to the superintendent and with a reminder of policy timelines: the board must announce any boundary changes publicly by April 1. Brzezinski said the district will continue to provide updated enrollment and staffing projections as the reconfiguration work progresses.

Ending: The board received the reconfiguration briefing and asked staff to return with additional details, including finalized special-education placement decisions and updated class-section projections, ahead of any formal boundary approval.