Several moves possible for La Crosse School district, including $2.25 million purchase

Coulee Montessori, administration and 7 Rivers could be moving

There could be several changes coming in the near future on where students are taught within the La Crosse School District. 

The school board heard one idea Monday night, which would send the charter school Coulee Montessori to the Hogan Administrative Center with administrators buying the old TCI building on Highway 16. That would cost $2.25 million, and would be taken from the school’s fund balance or savings account. 

Superintendent Randy Nelson said there are some benefits to that property.

“It’s one that would require very little work to get inside of it,” Nelson said. “It is a much smaller footprint for us, but I do think it’s one that will work for us and one that can be efficient.”

Another move would send the 7 Rivers Community School to Central High School. 

One reason for this is overcrowding at Northside Elementary, Nelson pointed out.

“We’re actually using spaces, for instance, that were designed, for instance, to be an art room, but is being used as a regular classroom,” Nelson said. “So our art teacher has a cart, perhaps. 

“Or, we’re using space that was going to be designed as a staff workroom, as a classroom at this point.”

Nelson added that the Hogan building would take hardly any maintenance to prepare for Montessori, as there are already empty classrooms available. 

“This used to be a school and we already have seven, eight, nine classrooms that are really, ready to go,” he said. “We could make room for the Coulee Montessori  progra, the charter school, just to come here. They could have their own place and actually have an opportunity to grow.”

Nelson says this proposal will come to the board at a future meeting.