Ettrick board urges G-E-T residents to fight for school

Members of the Ettrick village board again encouraged all residents of the Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau School District to attend a school board meeting and encourage board members to eliminate a referendum option that would close Ettrick Elementary School.

“The main focus is going to have to be on Galesville and Trempealeau residents. Making sure they understand our school is worth keeping open,” Village President Marc Baures said.

Baures said he thinks the Ettrick school has support in the other communities, “but we can’t take that for granted.” 

“We should make sure we get everybody there who can be there,” Baures said. 

There are several referendum options being considered by the G-E-T board, one of which would close Ettrick Elementary and instead have Ettrick area students attend elementary school in Galesville. The school board will eventually vote on a referendum option to present to taxpayers, who will ultimately make the final decision. 

Ettrick residents attended a Nov. 20 meeting and spoke in favor of keeping the school. 

“I think they realize how serious this is to the village of Ettrick,” Trustee Pete Filla said. “That elementary school is more than just a school to the community.” 

Harold Olson, a member of both the G-E-T school and Ettrick village boards, said the school uses the Ettrick building for more than just classroom space. 

“I don’t think the administration has considered how many ball games are being played there,” Olson said. “Where are they going to go? There are a lot of things that haven’t been considered.” 

Olson also expressed concern that moving the Ettrick students to Galesville would cause bigger class sizes. 

Baures said the format for the Dec. 18 meeting at the G-E-T High School library will be different as it will allow the public to ask questions of board members. Olson thought the school board might vote on the referendum on Dec. 18.

Trustees also mentioned that the school building houses both the Ettrick Community Center and Ettrick Public Library. 

“If you close the school, are those going to be maintained?” Baures asked.

While the village would have the right to purchase the building for $1, trustees indicated that the operating costs to maintain it and keep both the community center and library open would be prohibitive. 

Trustees also warned that closing the Ettrick school could just be the first step.

“If part of their end game is to close our school, what is to say in the future, they’re not going to close (schools in Galesville or Trempealeau)? Ettrick is the first step in the process, all three of them could be at risk,” Filla said. 

“We need to have individual elementary schools in each town,” Baures added.