Reconfiguration

At its Dec. 19 meeting, the Winona Area Public Schools board voted to move forward with a plan to reconfigure the district’s elementary schools.

Beginning in the 2025-26 school year:

All kindergarten students will attend Goodview Elementary, including kindergarten students in the Ríos Spanish Dual Language Immersion program.
Students in Grades 1-4 will be split between Jefferson Elementary and Washington-Kosciusko Elementary. The current Goodview attendance area will become part of the Jefferson attendance area. The W-K boundary may change slightly.
Grades 1-4 in the Ríos program will move to W-K.
The Community Kids Preschool program will continue to have a presence at both Goodview and W-K.

The plan does not include any changes for the Winona Middle School, Winona Senior High School and the Winona Area Learning Center.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know which school my child will attend?

Students who previously attended Goodview Elementary and will be in Grades 1-4 will now attend Jefferson Elementary. The current Washington-Kosicusko Elementary attendance area will remain unchanged. Students in the Ríos Spanish Immersion program in Grades 1-4 will now attend W-K. All kindergarten students will attend Goodview. Some special education programs may not be in the school of attendance according to the attendance boundary. Information regarding school of attendance for students in these programs will be communicated directly to families impacted by these exceptions.

If you have questions about which boundary you are in, you can call the central enrollment secretary at 507-494-8070.

Will I get a chance to tour my child’s new school?

Yes. We are currently planning open house events to welcome students to their new school. These events are as scheduled:

Jefferson Elementary: 5:30-7 p.m. Monday, April 14
W-K Elementary: 5:30-7 p.m. Monday, April 21

If these times do not work, you can contact the school directly and set up an individual tour.

A kindergarten open house night has been scheduled for Goodview Elementary on Monday, Feb. 24 from 5:30-7 p.m.

Will this decision mean larger elementary class sizes?

What impact will this have on busing?

There is not expected to be an obvious cost increase nor cost savings because of the reconfiguration. Every year, the transportation department alters bus routes based on families that request transportation and the schools their children attend. It is possible that additional routes will need to be added, but it is also possible that the current number of routes could absorb the students needing transportation. Intentional efforts will be made to limit the length of time our elementary students are on the bus.

Why doesn't the school board develop a master facilities plan before approving a reconfiguration?

The school board approved a master facilities plan in July 2022 that called for the district to invest in and improve the current fleet of district buildings. The master facilities plan was informed by a community task force that met 10 times over the course of four months. The master facilities plan includes accessibility upgrades at Jefferson and Washington-Kosciusko.

How will teachers and staff be assigned?

Each employee contract or employee agreement outlines a process for how staff movement should occur when positions are shifted, and the district will follow that language. Additionally, the district will follow the typical budgeting process it goes through each year. At this time, it is not known exactly how many FTE will be eliminated or added due to the reconfiguration.

What construction projects are needed because of the reconfiguration?

As part of the information gathering process, district leaders identified a number of projects that should be addressed in all three of the elementary buildings. Many of these projects were previously identified as part of the master facilities plan approved in July 2022. In addition, not all of the projects need to be completed before the start of the 2025-26 school year. The district can utilize a number of funding sources, including Long-Term Facilities Maintenance (LFTM) funding, to complete the projects. Even without the elementary reconfiguration, these changes would be needed to make sure all students can have the same educational experience as their peers.

Why was this change made?

This plan balances the need to address issues of equity and efficiency in our elementary schools with a desire to minimize the disruption to students, staff and families. It means that demographics and class sizes will be more consistent across the district, students will have improved access to individual support and our educators will have more opportunities to collaborate. This change supports the district’s strategic goals to foster student achievement, equity, and inclusivity. It ensures a common, cohesive curriculum for all students, strengthening learning experiences across all schools.

It also allows the district to allocate our limited financial resources more efficiently and effectively, providing a better value to our local taxpayers. If there are elementary sections under the class size target, that takes away funding from other areas in the district, particularly at the secondary level. That is not efficient, nor is it sustainable.