Neighbors of Lincoln Middle School swap ideas for building’s future

When one of La Crosse’s oldest existing schools closes its doors this summer, what will happen to the building?

About 50 people met at Lincoln Middle School on Wednesday night for group discussions about the school’s future.

La Crosse Schools superintendent, Dr. Aaron Engel, was stationed at a table, reviewing ideas that came from one of the discussion groups.

“So housing came up, kind of as number one, and then access to food in the area was another,” Engel said, after the first group met at his table.

The middle school will close in August, as a way to save money for the school district — about $2 million a year.

Planners from the ISG company asked those attending the meeting to show their preference for what the area needs.

Jack Zabrowski with ISG said the scores will be used to measure the popularity of ideas.

“Five points for this, six points for that,” he said, “and then you’ll get a score at the end, and this process will help develop those criteria.”

Guests at the meeting switched from table to table to debate building plans with their neighbors.

The ISG architecture group will review the ideas and votes to come up with new options for the school.