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What impact are school district revenue caps having on the schools of Wisconsin? Below is the latest example of the devastation they are creating:
Parents in Kaukauna recently learned more about a plan to cut $1.5 million from the school district's budget.
The plan includes closing Nicolet Elementary School and the district office on Main Street, then selling both properties. Five teaching jobs would be lost.
The district would also drop its French and orchestra programs, and reduce its overall spending on extra-curricular activities.
The cutbacks would start as early as June.
More than a hundred parents showed up at a meeting in response to the proposed cuts, and many were upset over the proposals.
"Why does Kaukauna say 'Where children come first' when they are the last people you guys care about?" one parent charged.
Emotions ran high at the meeting led by the school superintendent.
One of the oldest schools in the city, Nicolet teaches about 160 students who would attend Haen Elementary starting this fall. That's when the French and orchestra programs would also disappear.
"The revenue limits that were put in place in 1993 really have a lot to do with this. It's 15 years of pent up needs for things like maintenance and technology. We have not been able to raise taxes over the years as we needed to over the years for some of those things," Superintendent Lloyd McCabe said.
Some parents were so upset over the cuts, they made threats to pull their kids out of the school district and send them elsewhere should programs be lost.
"Cutting programs, to me, is completely unacceptable. We are a growing community. We should be expanding our programs," another parent said.
A Nicolet teacher was especially shaken.
"We are a very close staff. It has become much like a family. Due to the size and the layout of our building, we are close to not only the students in our classroom but also those in other classes," said Joy Strasburg, a second grade teacher.
The school board is expected to vote February 4th.
A Kaukauna elementary school may be shut down in a cost-cutting move.
Source: WBAY
Posted February 1, 2008