Posted December 27, 2025
HUDSON, WI. – Residents residing in the Hudson School District attended a community meeting on Monday Sept. 22, to discuss the futures of Willow River Elementary and Houlton Elementary.
According to the Hudson Star-Observer, the Hudson School Board last month voted to either close one or both schools, ruling out an option that would keep both open.
Bob Baumann, President of the Board of Education, said in an emailed statement that closing the schools “reduces the district’s overall operating expenses by reducing sections and additional staffing.” When asked about other forms of funding procurement, he said that “The district gets the bulk of revenue from property tax and state aid. There is not another form of revenue that can make up for these items.”
Figures provided by the district show that closing both Willow River Elementary and Houlton Elementary would save the district $3,331,394 in potential approximate staffing savings and $3,544,103 for keeping two schools in the district K-2 and another two for grades 3-5. The latter option according to the Hudson Star-Observer was rejected in the August board vote.
Reactions among the public in attendance was generally negative. Houlton Elementary received the most support from the community with some children going as far as holding up posters demanding their school be saved during the discussion.
According to US News and World Report, Houlton Elementary is ranked number 16 among Wisconsin Elementary Schools and number one among Hudson School District Elementary Schools. One flyer distributed at the meeting, written from the perspective of a concerned parent, questioned the financial rationale behind the closures. “If this decision is truly about saving money, then what are the costs of closure?” the flyer read.
One parent said, “closing it (Houlton) would dismantle the proven model of excellence, weaken Hudson’s overall academic standing and burden Houlton families with longer bus rides.”
Another parent from North Hudson offered a different perspective, saying the changes could offer students new opportunities and that parents should help their children adapt.
Hudson School District Superintendent Nick Ouellette said that a final decision regarding the closure of the school buildings must be made no later than October according to a posted memo.
The article may be found online at https://uwrfjournalism.org/2025/12/hudson-residents-push-back-as-district-weighs-closing-two-elementary-schools/.