MMSD New School in Fitchburg

Scroll all the way to the bottom and sign please!

The Facts:
1. The population in Fitchburg increased 32.5% between 2000 and 2014 which is nearly twice the average increase in Dane County.
2. Fitchburg and Verona expect to see 1,400 new housing units within the next 15 years.
3. Aldo Leopold (the current elementary school for the Madison School District aka our district) has faced overcrowding issues since 2005. If enrollment increases at all, they will be forced to give up their music room and computer lab for additional classroom space.
4. In response to this significant growth, our neighboring district of Oregon and Verona have taken action. Oregon passed a referendum in 2014 which included expansion plans and Verona has already selected a site where its new school(s) will be built.
5. The MMSD (Madison Metropolitan School District) Board is aware of our growth and is in the beginning phases of an analysis to conclude if the data supports the need for a new Madison school.

The Problem:
In the 18 months or more it takes to conduct/analyze the data, Fitchburg will continue to grow without moving forward with a viable solution to overcrowding issues. Many neighborhood kids will be outsourced via open enrollment if they are lucky enough to get in to Verona or Oregon and we will continue to lack a community school that can accommodate our numbers. We all know of families that have moved out of Fitchburg because of our schooling options. We need to take action now and initiate a local school where our community can continue to grow and our children can flourish. Your tax dollars go to MMSD, why shouldn’t your kids?

Who does this affect?
All of us! A new school will serve kids of all ages and if our kids stay in district, there may also be a need for additional grade school options to accommodate this new level of enrollment. Even for those who don’t have school-aged kids, a great school district makes Fichtburg a desirable place to live and can also increase our property values.

What you can do:
1. Most importantly, SIGN OUR PETITION! Then have your spouse sign it too! The School Board said they will take a petition containing 100 signatures seriously. Let’s show them we are serious about a new school in a reasonable amount of time and that we want it to go to referendum sometime in 2017.
2. E-mail our school board with your thoughts and concerns: board@madison.k12.wi.us
3. Attend the MMSD School Board Meeting on Monday, July 18th at 6:00pm in the McDaniel’s Auditorium in the Doyle Administration Building. In this meeting, the data team will share their first round of findings and long range facilities planning will be discussed. There will also be time for public speaking during which we as parents of MMSD can address the School Board directly.

If you don’t have time to e-mail or attend the meeting, the most impactful thing you can do is take 2 minutes to sign the petition and pass it on to your spouse, other neighbors, and friends. Thanks in advance for your support!