La Crosse School Board president Suchla on naming the new elementary, a new state cellphone ban and passing the budget
Description
La Crosse School Board president Deb Suchla in studio discussing the process of what to do with three close schools, naming a new elementary, student truancy, the state’s new school cellphone ban and the 2026 budget.
Suchla also talked about food scarcity in the district, as SNAP benefits have been cut off, and some of the ways students and teachers can get help.
Suchla, who announced she’s running for reelection in the spring, noted that the board recently recognized local businesses for their contributions to students and schools.
Last Friday, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers signed into law a type of school cellphone ban that “requires public school boards to adopt policies that generally prohibit students from using wireless communication devices, including cellphones, during school.” The district already has some of these policies in place, but the school board may have to formally recognize them under the new law.
Like the city of La Crosse, the district faces a $2 million budget shortfall next year. The board passed a budget last week and Suchla explained how the plan to close three elementary schools and build a new one will help bridge that gap.
That led to a discussion about the school board’s process for deciding what to do with those three buildings — Hintgen, Spence and Emerson — and land.
In 2023, the board closed Lincoln Middle School and eventually voted to sell the building to a company for affordable housing — a deal that has yet to be finalized. The developer did not acquire grant money from the state needed to approve the project and is reapplying this year.
With those three schools closing, a new elementary will be built, along with State Road Elementary being renovated. Suchla discussed the process for naming, not just the new school, but possibly renaming State Road, since the Hintgen community will be integrated there.
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