Manitowoc Public Schools’ superintendent says a committee’s goal to review Washington and Wilson Middle Schools and Lincoln High School starts from a “blank slate.”
Superintendent Lee Thennes spoke about the return of the district’s Facility Advisory Committee, made up of both school staff and members of the public.
He explained on WOMT’s Be My Guest program that the committee first worked to right-size the district, which led to the closure of Jackson and Madison Elementary Schools. Phase two focuses on middle and high schools.
Thennes says committee members will take tours of the school to see the conditions there.
MPSD Superintendent Lee Thennes
“They’re going to review what the suggested improvements and or needs are in each school and how much those costs,” he explained. “There are going to look at what 21st century learning environments look like and what those costs. And then they are going to have to make some decisions on what is in our best interest as a community moving forward.”
After the committee collects the details, ideas will be submitted to the district for inclusion in a community survey that will go out to the public.
Thennes says the first part is to let the public know what options there are and to hear input.
“The community, ahead of any type of referendum or any type of capital improvement dollars that are needed, needs to be on board with what we are going to do,” he noted. “And they need to be heavily involved in what we’re going to do.”
The committee will meet again later this week. When the recommendations and survey will be out is yet to be known.
