West Bend plans single high school beginning in 2027-28 school year

The West Bend School Board voted March 23, 2026, to combine West Bend East and West High Schools into a single high school beginning with the 2027-28 school year.

The decision will change where West Bend students attend high school and will affect planning for athletics, transportation and family schedules. The district has begun developing community surveys and engagement opportunities related to the future high-school configuration.

Community planning begins

The West Bend School District says the board approved the one-high-school configuration for the 2027-28 school year. The district’s announcement also says planning is underway for community input, including survey development and other engagement opportunities.

The change is scheduled for a future school year. It is not a completed consolidation, and the board’s action sets the planned start of the combined high school for 2027-28.

For students and families, the change is expected to shape decisions about school attendance, activities and transportation as the district moves toward implementation. The district has not announced the final design or operating details of the combined school in the materials describing the board’s action.

Facilities work tied to referendum

The high-school decision comes as West Bend carries out a broader facilities program approved by voters. A Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction record lists authorization for the district to issue up to $47 million in general-obligation bonds.

The bond program includes construction of a new Jackson Elementary School, along with safety and security work, building infrastructure improvements, technical-education upgrades, engineering-lab improvements, remodeling and related equipment.

Voters approved the facilities referendum on Nov. 5, 2024, with 18,470 yes votes, according to the district. The referendum page lists project work scheduled for summer and fall 2026, as well as work identified for 2027.

Projects scheduled across the district

The district reports projects scheduled during summer and fall 2026 at Badger, Green Tree, McLane and Silverbrook schools. Those projects are part of the larger facilities effort that includes the Jackson Elementary project and improvements intended for school buildings and technical-learning spaces.

The next known steps are community engagement on the high-school configuration and continued facilities work in 2026. The single-high-school model is scheduled to begin with the 2027-28 school year.