Woodlands School, a K-8 public charter school in Milwaukee, looks to open in West Allis

A K-8 elementary school is being proposed for West Allis, according to city Plan Commission documents.

Woodlands School would be located at 1526 S. 72nd St., the former home of Holy Assumption School, which closed in 2000.

Woodlands, a Wisconsin public charter school, currently has two locations in Milwaukee, one at 5510 W. Blue Mound Road and the other at 3121 W. State St.

The West Allis Plan Commission approved the plan by a 5-0 vote with two abstentions on Sept. 25.

Here's what to know:

Where will Woodlands School be located?

The proposed location is at 1526 S. 72nd St. in West Allis. Woodlands is planning to merge its two existing campuses into the single West Allis location, the site of the former Holy Assumption School, which operated from 1957 until closing in 2000.

During a Sept. 24 neighborhood meeting in West Allis, Woodlands School Executive Director Vickie Brown-Gurley said the school is planning to remain at this location for at least 20 years.

What is Woodlands School?

Founded in 1936 as the Alverno Campus Elementary School, Woodlands School has been around for over 80 years. It is a Wisconsin public charter school that runs under the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee school system. The school will not be a part of the West Allis-West Milwaukee School District, according to Brown-Gurley.

The existing schools serve students from 4-year-old kindergarten to eighth grade. Enrollment is around 500 students.

What will Woodlands School in West Allis look like?

The two-story school building is located in a residential district and is approximately 25,448 square feet. Plans call for remodeling the basement to add a third level.

The plans will also create a new outside playground area for the students, with new fencing provided for safety.

What will be the school's hours of operation?

The school's hours of operation will be from 7:45 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Monday to Friday. In addition, the school will be used for Sunday school sessions and could be used by the community for various events.

What educational structure does Woodlands School follow?

Woodlands will follow all of the guidelines from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction , according to Brown-Gurley.

Despite not being in DPI's education guidelines, the school currently has handwriting and typing in its educational curriculum.

When does enrollment open?

Enrollment for the school will begin in November and December for the 2025-26 school year. Brown-Gurley said students enrolled at their other campuses will have first priority for enrollment.