2 Cudahy schools to close next year, parents share concerns at board meeting

CUDAHY, Wis. (CBS 58) – School closures in the Cudahy School District will cause some students to attend different schools next fall, which has some families concerned.

According to a plan that was approved in June, Kosciuszko Elementary School and J.E. Jones Elementary school would close at the end of the 2025-2026 school year. Students in kindergarten through 4th grade at those schools would move to the district's two largest elementary schools at General Mitchell Elementary School and Lincoln Elementary School. Students in 5th and 6th grade at the two schools would shift to the district’s middle school for the 2026-2027 school year.

District leaders say they credit declining enrollment, high costs and excess space in the district as some reasons for the closures.

“Nobody wants to close the schools. This will allow us to focus resources on students, staff and programs rather than maintain excess facilities,” said Kari Durr, president of the Cudahy School Board, at their meeting Monday, Aug. 25.

Families filled the room at the meeting where district leaders shared plans about the logistics of the upcoming move. Some parents and students shared concerns about class sizes with consolidation; others said they took issue with the way the district communicated with families about the process.

“Don’t close down my school,” said Lydia Mueller, a student at Kosciuszko Elementary School. “It’s super hard for me to learn already, and it’s going to be even harder if you add more kids to my class.”