Monona Grove School District officials presented concept plans to the Cottage Grove Village Board on Dec. 1 for how Cottage Grove School could accommodate a possible consolidation of kindergarten through second grade.

Superintendent Tanya Frederick and an architect (Mr. Johnson) said both Cottage Grove and Taylor Prairie schools are operating at roughly half capacity and the district is exploring consolidation to increase efficiency. The district emphasized it was not seeking village funding for the site work; rather it sought feedback on traffic and circulation concepts before the school board votes on consolidation later in December.

Mr. Johnson outlined two preferred circulation options. The district’s preferred option would add a full loop around the school to create on‑site bus queuing and a 360° emergency access lane, allow gates to control access during the day, and remove left‑turn conflicts that now back up traffic on Main Street. That plan was estimated to provide on‑site capacity for more than 130 queued cars and about 10 buses; he said the layout reduces the worst left‑turn delays but carries an estimated additional cost of about $300,000 versus a simpler layout.

A second, less expensive option retains a single entry with a bus turnaround and shorter queuing capacity; it is cheaper but offers fewer safety and operational benefits. District staff said they project 9–10 buses in the consolidated model (currently eight) and that the designs are sized to keep pick‑up/drop‑off queuing on site. The district also plans to provide family education, early enforcement and police presence during the transition weeks to encourage correct circulation patterns.

Trustees asked about potential induced demand (making drop‑off easier could encourage more driving), enforcement of a 'right‑turn only' pattern and how play areas would be managed when buses use the loop. Frederick and the architect said playground timing and supervision would be adjusted so children are inside during bus arrival and that the district has experience getting queuing to operate efficiently — noting an expected '8‑minute' turnover once families are familiar with the system.

The district will continue refining the plans and the school board will vote on the consolidation proposal on Dec. 16. If the consolidation is not approved, the district said both schools would remain neighborhood K–2 schools and the village would need to revisit crossing‑guard needs at Taylor Prairie.