Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Wisconsin District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

  • By Matt Jones
  • 03/03/26

The School District of La Crosse in La Crosse, Wis., recently broke ground on a new elementary school that will consolidate the students and staff of two existing schools, according to local news. Funding for the school comes from a $53-million referendum approved in 2024, and it has an estimated completion date of fall 2027.

The school will unite the existing communities of Emerson and Spence Elementary Schools, and it will stand on the site of a former district administrative center. The facility is a response to declining enrollment figures and aging facilities, key challenges that the district has continued to face.

"We knew we had declining enrollment; we knew we had to do something about aging facilities,” said district superintendent Aaron Engel in a local news story. “I'm just thankful for the facility advisory committee that deliberated a range of solutions.”

The district’s director of elementary education, Shelly Shirel, commented on the degree of community input that went into the planning process. “The three-story elementary school that will emerge from this spot will be more than a building,” she said. “It will reflect collaboration, thoughtful planning, and our shared commitment to students and community. It will be a place where students, staff, and our community can grow, explore, and thrive together.”

The district hasn’t yet named the school, but local news reports that the community like likely get the chance to provide input.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Bradley Company Highlights Hygiene Tips for Global Handwashing Day

    In honor of Global Handwashing Day on October 15, commercial washrooms and emergency safety solutions provider Bradley Company recently released the results of its 2026 Healthy Handwashing Survey. The findings indicate simple, practical steps that facilities managers can take to encourage good hygiene on campus.

  • Dallas-Area District Debuts Three New Facilities

    The Duncanville Independent School District in southwest Dallas, Texas, recently held ribbon-cutting ceremonies for three new facilities that resulted from a $170-million bond program passed in 2023, according to a news release.

  • Missouri K–12 District Cuts Ribbons on Two New Middle Schools

    Springfield Public Schools in Springfield, Mo., recently celebrated the completion of two new middle school facilities with ribbon-cutting ceremonies, according to a district news release. The district officially opened the new Pipkin Middle School and Reed Academy on Sept. 3, both of which were funded through the $220-million Proposition S bond program approved by voters in 2023.

  • Wold Completes Geothermal Projects at Two Minnesota Schools

    Wold Architects & Engineers recently announced that it has completed two geothermal expansion projects for Mounds View Public Schools in Shoreview, Minn., according to a news release. The work at Highview Middle School and Irondale High School serves the district’s long-term goal of reducing energy costs and dependency on non-renewable fuel sources, as well as improving building performance.