The Manitowoc Public School District is beginning to move teachers ahead of the next school year.
This comes after the district voted earlier this year to close Madison and Jackson Elementary School as part of a consolidation plan.
5th and 6th graders will transition to Wilson Middle School, and 7th and 8th Graders will now be at Washington Middle School.
Superintendent Lee Thennes tells Seehafernews.com that the district adjusted its calendar to help teachers move from the elementary schools and middle schools.
Thennes says while Madison Elementary will be sold to the City of Manitowoc, Jackson will become a “staging area” for the district when cleaning out classrooms.
He explained, “What we will do is when school is ready to get started, we’ll have our team, our maintenance, and our custodial team go over to Jackson and then organize things in a manner in which we can sell some things or donate some things and that type of stuff.”
Thennes says nonprofit groups and other school districts could get first dibs on extra furniture and equipment MPSD doesn’t need in the future.
Teachers have in-service days to unpack and get things set up for next year.
“We’re going to give those two Inservice days as time to unpack, get situated, get your room set,” he described. “Then that following week of Inservice, we will really be able to focus on getting ready for kids.”
Thennes says the district feels really good about where teachers are now and their readiness for the next school year, especially after a lot of moving.
“The moral is pretty good in terms of excitement for a new year,” he noted. “I think they’re tired from this year. I think they need a little bit of a break and a little bit of an unplug and charge time. But, they’ll be ready to go in August.”
Thennes finished saying he’s very proud of the work the custodial staff did before September.
Elementary teachers will teach only at Jefferson, Franklin, Monroe, Riverview, and Stangel Learning Academy, which will be converted into an elementary school.
