The Kettle Moraine School Board voted June 11 to close one of its four elementary schools to handle future projected declining enrollment and a projected budget deficit.
The board voted unanimously, 6-0, to close Magee Elementary School in Genesee Depot, which will take effect in fall 2026. Board member Tracy Brymer was absent from the meeting.
The decision will leave the district with three elementary schools: Cushing, Dousman and Wales.
Here’s what to know:
Details about Magee
The school has 252 students and an average class size of about 18 students, according to Kettle Moraine School District Superintendent Stephen Plum.
Kettle Moraine School District chief financial officer John Stellmacher further explained that the school has two classrooms per grade level for grades 4K through five. The other classrooms are for art, music, 4K wrap care and special education/intervention, he said.
The school serves students in Genesee Depot, the Town of Genesee and part of North Prairie. The building is about three miles south of the Village of Wales in Waukesha County.
Plum said there are 37 staff employed at the school, but it’s uncertain how many will be able to move into other jobs in the district when the school closes. The district is looking at districtwide reductions of 20 staff for fall 2026.
Why did the board decide to close Magee Elementary?
The district said closing Magee Elementary and converting it into a community center was the most fiscally responsible decision because:
The district said consolidating from four to three elementary schools will allow the district to enhance elementary learning opportunities and become more financially efficient to meet changing community needs.
“With the district prioritizing choice, small class sizes and focusing on attracting and retaining talented staff, these changes will help sustain our academic excellence,” said an informational flyer from the district.
Magee’s 2024-25 per student spending for regular education staff was $9,399 per student, higher than Dousman ($8,827 per student), Cushing ($8,786 per student) and Wales ($7,824 per student).
Magee’s 2024-25 revenue per student was lower than the other three elementaries. While Magee was at $12,807 per student, Wales was at $13,615 per student, Cushing at $13,770 per student and Dousman at $13,911 per student, according to the district.
What is the problem the district is trying to address?
The district says its five-year financial forecast is showing a projected $7.6 million budget deficit by 2031-32. Declining enrollment is driving that projection, something the district expects to continue. The district also noted that state funding for schools has not kept up with inflation — a problem facing schools statewide.
The district’s enrollment has fallen substantially from its peak of 4,500 students in 2009 to 3,361 in the 2024-25 school year.
Are other districts are grappling with similar issues?
Kettle Moraine is not alone in trying to handle declining enrollment and tight budgets.
The Waukesha School District is also considering reducing the number of schools. Milwaukee Public Schools is creating a long-range facilities plan, and a consultant for the district has recommended closing schools. The Green Bay School Board voted last year to close three of its elementary schools.
What steps led to this decision?
On April 29, the Kettle Moraine School Board voted, 4-3, to move forward with closing an elementary school, although at that point it didn’t decide which elementary school to close.
Following that decision, district administration and the board held three community listening sessions in May to gather feedback.
The district also considered, and decided again, several other options, including:
Apologies for sending draft letter saying Magee was closing
Kettle Moraine School District Superintendent Stephen Plum also apologized at the meeting for an error in which a draft letter saying Magee Elementary was closing was accidentally sent out before the board meeting.
School District chief communications officer Sara Otto explained in an email that the error occurred while she was working on drafts of various scenarios that could be sent out quickly if the board made a decision. A glitch caused the draft to get sent instead of being scheduled.
What’s next?
The district plans to take several steps to prepare for the school’s closing, including:
Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or alec.johnson@jrn.com. Follow him on X (Twitter) at @AlecJohnson12.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Kettle Moraine School Board votes to close Magee Elementary in fall 2026
Reporting by Alec Johnson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
