School merger in West Bend?
Posted: Sep 29, 2014 11:43 PM CDT | Updated: Nov 5, 2014 3:53 PM CDT
WEST BEND-What if you took two good football teams and combined them into a superstar team?
That is the idea behind combining West Bend West and West Bend East.
The two high schools in one building. The students already share many facilities like the auditorium and gym.
But one school means fewer teams and also means fewer kids who make those teams.
Parent Joe Hynst said Monday night that \"My daughter plays volleyball. We figured out that there would be just under 400 kids' sports opportunities lost if we combined to one school.\"
This issue has come up a number of times since 1970. It seems to tear this community in half.
Ted Neitzke, the West Bend Superintendent told CBS 58 News that \"It divides the community. It splits families and friendships.\"
A combined West Bend high school would be the largest in the state.
At an informational meeting Monday night no one spoke in favor of combining the two.
The message from parents was clear; don't take away what makes West Bend unique.
\"I hope the board is listening,\" parent Debbie Lemminger said. \"The only thing that's broken here is the board doesn't seem to be listening to us as a community.\"
The board is expected to vote on combining Monday night at their meeting.
If they don't combine, the superintendent wants to set up specific rules or triggers before this discussion would come up again.
He says fighting this fight once every five years or so is just not healthy for this community.