River Falls’ open enrollment seat openings approved

By Andrew Harrington
Posted 1/22/25

RIVER FALLS — The River Falls Board of Education approved availability numbers for the district’s open enrollment seats during the Jan. 20 meeting.

River Falls 4 Children has …

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River Falls’ open enrollment seat openings approved

Posted

RIVER FALLS — The River Falls Board of Education approved availability numbers for the district’s open enrollment seats during the Jan. 20 meeting.

River Falls 4 Children has unlimited seats available, with 20 kindergarten seats available, 15 per grade in grades 1-8, 20 in grade nine at the high school, 15 each for grades 10-12 at the high school and 15 seats at Renaissance Charter Academy for grades 9-12.

Within these grades there are learning categories where the district currently cannot accept open enrollment applicants.

The board also approved the Educational Options list, a requirement for the district to produce. On the list are the options for students in River Falls as they pursue an education.

The list consisted of River Falls 4 Children community sites Abundant Life (subject to certified staffing), Jacob’s Ladder, Little Adventures 1, Little Adventures 2, The University Preschool, UW-River Falls CHILD Center, River Falls Public Montessori Elementary and Rocky Branch Elementary.

Elementary options are Greenwood Elementary School, River Falls Public Montessori Elementary (Charter School), Rocky Branch Elementary School and Westside Elementary School. Meyer Middle School is the lone middle school option and Renaissance Charter Academy and River Falls High School are the high school options. River Falls also hosts private Catholic school St. Bridget’s Catholic Community.

Vice President Alan Tuchtenhagen shared some information on the list and additional programs available. He spent some of his time discussing charter schools and how they differ from state to state.

“They [Minnesota] do charter schools very different than what Wisconsin does,” Tuchtenhagen said.

In Minnesota, the charter schools operate independently, but Wisconsin districts have the ability to operate charter schools within the district. River Falls takes advantage of this with the Montessori school and Renaissance Charter Academy.

Tuchtenhagen said the charter academies can operate slightly differently than the rest of the district as they have different missions.

Other business

  • River Falls FFA and the Food Service Program were recognized by the Wisconsin Department of Instruction for providing local food to Wisconsin students through the Local Food for Schools Program.
  • Lindsey Curtis and Mike Miller are running to remain on the River Falls Board of Education after the spring election.
  • Approved the hiring of Erik Wild as a high school special educations long term substitute and Krista Ottino, Mary Cormican, Holly Kruger, Theodore Sullivan, Annika Gunderson, Erin Bitter, Lori McGinty and Gabrielle Lord-Klein as short term, on call substitutes.
  • The district was within budget during the first phase of the referendum process.
  • Continued language adjustments in many district policies.
River Falls School Board, open enrollment, River Falls School District, Wisconsin