Potential School Closures & Facility Planning

Community Meeting Feedback

Potential School Closures Community Meeting Response Themes & Questions

On September 22, 2025, approximately 220 parents, community members and Hudson School District staff came together to give feedback on three topics. What do we value most when it comes to educating our children? What are the budget and enrollment challenges faced by the School District? Given your educational values and the budget challenges, what would you like the Board to consider as they decide whether to close one or more schools?

Several consistent themes run through the community's responses, reflecting their core values, major concerns, and advice to the School Board.

1. Value of Small Schools and Class Sizes. This was the most frequently mentioned value. Respondents believe that small schools and low student-to-teacher ratios are critical for a quality education.

Benefits Cited: Fostering a "cozy," "homey," and "safe" environment where students are comfortable, which reduces anxiety and improves learning.
Academic Impact: Allowing for more individualized attention, early intervention for at-risk students, and better academic outcomes.
Community: Creating a strong sense of community and belonging, where students are not just a number

Will schools be overcrowded if one or more schools close?
No. Our elementary schools currently have enough capacity to accommodate the closure of up to two schools, including space for 4K programs. Options for 4K wrap care may be more limited. Class sizes would remain within our Board-approved guidelines:

Kindergarten–2nd Grade: 18–22 students
Grades 3–5: 22–27 students

Community Meeting - Monday, September 22

Board has scheduled a community meeting for Monday, September 22, 2025 at 6:00 PM at Hudson Middle School.
The community meeting will provide opportunities for individuals to submit questions for table discussions in advance. Tables will also be asked to report out to the full group.
Long-term facilities planning community questions form.
River Channel Community Meeting on School Closures video

Meeting Purpose

To engage families, staff, and community members in meaningful conversations that will provide the Board of Education with broad-based input regarding potential elementary school closures due to declining student enrollment and budget challenges.

Meeting Structure

The Community Meeting will include an introduction before attendees begin their table discussions. Table discussions will include similar questions to the ones listed below and additional questions raised by the community through the online question form that is linked above.

Building common understanding. What do you believe is critical to providing educationally for all children to succeed in the Hudson School District? Now and in the future? What values should guide the Board as it makes difficult decisions?
Budget and enrollment challenges. After reviewing the budget and enrollment data, what stands out or surprises you? What additional questions do you have about the data or the District's challenges?
Feedback for the Board. Given your set of beliefs and understanding of the challenges, what advice would give the Board of Education as they consider the future of our elementary schools? What are the most important things the Board should keep in mind as they make their decision?

Time will be set aside for table groups to report highlights from their conversations.

Board of Education Work Session - August 25, 2025

Superintendent Ouellette's presentation to the Board of Education
Board has scheduled a community meeting for Monday, September 22, 2025 at 6:00 PM at Hudson Middle School.
The community meeting will provide opportunities for individuals to submit questions for table discussions in advance. Tables will also be asked to report out to the full group.
The Board would like the community meeting to broadcast.
The Board will reschedule its work session to September 29th.

Frequently Asked Questions

How accurate are enrollment projections and how far into the future do they go?

Over the past ten (10) years, the School District has turned to professional demographers to help answer this question regarding future student enrollments. The most recent demographic study was completed in 2022 by the Applied Population Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. The data from that study indicates the following points:

Continued long-term downward trend in elementary projected enrollments through 2031-2032.
Recent and long-term municipal birthrates are on a downward trend through 2027.
The District’s attendance area has seen the most growth in individuals who are 55 years of age or older.

What do we know about new housing developments and the potential impact on student enrollment?

Will schools be overcrowded if we close one or both schools? What will be the estimated class sizes?

The School District has excess capacity in its elementary schools to accommodate the closure of two schools. This would include the space to continue to offer 4K programming. The School District’s ability to offer 4K wrap care at all schools may be somewhat limited.

Part of the school closure process would include balancing enrollments across the School District by adjusting elementary attendance boundaries. The School District will continue to follow its class size guidelines: 18-22 students per class in grades K-2; and 22-27 students per class in grades 3-5. Class sizes would more consistently fall within these class size guidelines. For example, families who have experienced class sizes that are at the top of the range, would likely see more moderate class sizes and families who have experienced class sizes under the guidelines would also see more moderate class sizes.

Why is the Board discussing closing schools after passing last spring's operational referendum?

For several years, the Board of Education has been discussing budget issues that have been driven by state per pupil revenue not keeping up with inflation since 2010, the State's low level reimbursement for special education reimbursement, and declining student enrollment.

Over the past few years, the School District has transferred about $8 million from the general education fund to the special education fund to cover costs that state funding does not.

The $5 million, non-recurring Operational Referendum that passed in April of 2025 was for:

Recruiting and retaining high quality staff
Curriculum
Technology
Student transportation
Operations and maintenance

How much is saved by closing schools?

What has the School District done to reduce it budget, knowing enrollments were declining and state aid had not kept up with inflation?

Reductions made in the 2023-2024 School Year

Elementary School Staff (4.0 FTE) -$346,084
Middle School Staff (.09 FTE) -$5,700
High School Staff (2.5 FTE) -$165,832
Facilities & Grounds (2.0 FTE) -$130,000
IT Technician -$99,877
Reduction in Assistant Principal work days -$60,000
Total 23-24 School Year Reductions = -$807,493

Reductions made in the 2024-2025 School Year

Shift Expenses to Fund 80 – Community Education (SRO, HMS Co-curricular activities and HMS Athletic Director) -$409,852
Elementary School Staff (2.0 FTE) -$119,730
Middle School Staff (1.25 FTE) -$89,650
High School Staff (2.5 FTE) -$230,966
Admin – Assistant Director of Student Services -$148,303
Total 24-25 School Year Reductions = -$998,501

Estimated reductions made in the 2025-2026 School Year = $842,758

How will class sizes be impacted if schools are closed?

The School District will continue to follow its class size guidelines: 18-22 students per class in grades K-2; and 22-27 students per class in grades 3-5.

If one or more elementary schools are closed, the District would redraw elementary attendance boundaries. A goal of this process would be to balance attendance across the remaining schools. Class sizes would be more consistently within the class size guidelines. There would be less classes below class size guidelines and less classes above class size guidelines.

How will school closures impact student achievement?

How will special education be impacted? How will Trinity and St. Pat's students receive services?

If there is one or more school closures, what is the timeline for staff and families to know their new attendance boundaries?

October - Board decides whether to close one or more schools.
New attendance boundaries need to be determined by the end of February 2026.
Staff assignments would need to be decided by the second week of March 2026.
Spring 2026 transition activities would take place for students to get to know their new school.
New bus routes would be established throughout the spring and summer of 2026.

If schools are closed, will there be room to continue the 4K program? What about 4K wrap care?

If both Houlton and Willow River Elementary Schools were closed, there is enough open space to continue to provide 4K at North Hudson, EP Rock, River Crest and potentially Hudson Prairie Elementary School. 4K wrap care may be available at some elementary sites, but not at all elementary sites.

Separately, School Age Care's before and after school programming would continue to be offered at all elementary school sites.

Long-Term Facility Planning Update - August 19, 2025

At the Monday, August 11, 2025 Board of Education meeting, Board members discussed long-term facility planning and the decision to move forward with developing a process for the potential closing of Houlton and/or Willow River Elementary Schools. The actual decision to close one or both schools will not take place until October following community feedback.

The community will have opportunities to provide the Board with feedback. However, at the upcoming August 25th Board Work Session (scheduled at Hudson High School in the auditorium beginning at 5:30 PM), the Board will determine the process for gathering your feedback. There will not be a public comment portion at this work session. The Board does not schedule public comment at their work sessions. The community is still welcome to attend the meeting in-person as observers. The meeting is also available for viewing on YouTube, see the Board Meeting page on the website at: https://www.hudsonraiders.org/district/2025-2026-board-of-education-meetings

The following timeline provides a draft of the scheduled and potential community comment sessions and decision making:

September 8th public comment at the Regular Board meeting at 5:30 PM located in the Hudson High School auditorium.
September, date to be determined, a community meeting to gather feedback.
October 13th public comment at the Regular Board meeting at 6:00 PM.
October final decision on whether to close one or both elementary schools.

If the Board’s final decision includes closing one or both elementary schools, and the anticipated school closure would take place for the 2026-2027 school year. There are several steps in this process that would need to be considered:

Elementary Boundary Adjustments would need to be determined in February 2026. All of the remaining schools would be part of the boundary adjustment. The goal would be to evenly balance student enrollments across the District. Part of the decision making process includes protocols for addressing families who currently have boundary exceptions or who are open enrolled. The District is committed to giving families time to prepare for changes.
Staffing Assignments would be finalized by the second week of March 2026. Consideration would be given to position placement, possible reassignments and compliance with contractual obligations. The Human Resources Department has practices for determining staff reassignments or layoffs if needed.
Student Transportation would review and update routes based on the new elementary attendance boundaries during the spring and summer of 2026.

You are always welcome to share your comments and questions with the Board of Education through their email addresses which can be found at: https://www.hudsonraiders.org/district/board-of-ed

Long-Term Facilities Planning Documents

Board of Education Meeting Agendas

Questions?

Email: connections@hudsonraiders.org

or contact

Dr. Nick Ouellette

Chief Executive Officer Superintendent

1350 Carmichael Rd, Hudson, WI 54016

ouelletten@hudsonraiders.org

715.377.3702