Southern Plains leaving Winnebago?

Local News

Use of the former Winnebago Elementary School may be on its last leg.

Southern Plains Education Cooperative for the past two years has been using the school for some 50 students in its K-12 alternative learning program.

The co-op serves six school districts, Blue Earth Area (BEA); Fairmont Area; Martin County West, GHEC, Truman and United South Central.

Last week, members of the Granada-Huntley-East Chain (GHEC) School Board discussed plans to find a new location.

Southern Plains director Sarah Mittelstadt says the co-op will be in Winnebago for at least the 2017-18 school year.

“The issue is that there is significant deferred maintenance with the Winnebago building,” says Mittelstadt. “We are looking at solutions to address those issues or find an alternative location.”

In December 2015, BEA School Board members approved installation of a new boiler costing nearly $75,000 that was divided with the other districts.

BEA officials cited deferred maintenance costs of $5 million over a 10-year period as one reason for closing Winnebago Elementary.

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