GREEN BAY (NBC26) — The halls of Green Bay Area Public School District schools will be filled with students starting Monday, an earlier than usual start to the year.
- The GBAPSD Education Foundation held a fundraiser on the eve of the first day, raising money for school projects
- The GBAPSD school district is starting a week early to give students time off for the NFL draft
- For some families, the early start is welcome
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story edited for web.)
At a Green Bay Area Public Schools Education Foundation fundraiser on Sunday, Aug. 25, families were looking forward to the first day of school.
“My kids are so excited to go back, they have their outfits picked out, shoes and everything," Liz Kanzleiter, a board member for the education foundation and parent in the school district, said.
The education foundation held a meat raffle at Tic’s Harber Lights in Suamico, raising money and raising awareness for their fall "Dancing with the Stars" fundraiser.
“To be able to do this on the first day of school is very fitting," Eric Vanden Heuvel, education foundation board chair, said.
The money raised will go towards funding GBAPSD projects.
“To provide opportunities to the students that they couldn’t do through their normal operating budget," Vanden Heuvel said.
Many of those involved with the foundation are local parents who were excited to use the fundraiser to kick off a successful, and early, 2024-25 school year for Green Bay.
“It’s never too early to fund raise and never too early to help out the school and all of the kids in the district," Kanzleiter said.
Kanzleiter said so far, the early start hasn’t phased her kids.
“I think they’re excited about two spring breaks," she said.
Monday’s start will allow Green Bay families to enjoy time off for the NFL draft in April, a decision Vanden Heuvel was happy to see the district make.
"I think it’s great, the Green Bay School District is constantly looking for ways to evolve and be innovative, and this year, with the NFL draft in April, that's a new thing so through Dancing with our Stars we’re really finding ways to raise funds to be able to support the mission of the school district," he said.
Students will be off of school from April 23 to April 25 for the draft.
