In 2023, the Unified School District of Antigo began the process of establishing a Facilities Task Force to evaluate the district’s current facility needs and possible solutions. A task force made up of community members, families, and staff met four times during the summer of 2023, and developed a report with recommendations for the Antigo Schools Board of Education.
In 2024, the Facilities Task Force 2.0 was established to work directly with the Blue Design Group, contracted architects who will be assisting the district with needed facility projects. Their work is ongoing and will continue the efforts of the original Facilities Task Force.
On April 16, 2024, the Facilities Task Force 2.0 voted to recommend that the board consider building a new elementary school rather than expanding the existing elementary buildings.
The current elementary school buildings in the district are 60 years old and have been used far beyond their intended life. Additionally, there are significant needs in each elementary school preventing students from receiving the best possible education. Some of those needs include:
- Lack of ADA accessibility in bathrooms
- Water damage causing deterioration of facilities
- Safety and security concerns due to lack of safety vestibule and monitored check-in
- Lack of adequate space for needed classrooms and student support
These are just a small sample of the many significant issues currently impacting our elementary schools. Because the needs are so extensive, the Facilities Task Force 2.0 voted to recommend building one new elementary school instead of repairing and renovating the three existing buildings.