Vel Phillips ushers in new era of education in OASD

September 1 not only marked the first day of the new school year, but the first time students entered the brand new Vel Phillips Middle School. Vel Phillips opened its arms to students and staff of Merrill and Webster Stanley Middle Schools, giving them a brand new environment in which to learn. Webster will now be renovated into Menominee Elementary School, whereas Merrill will be taken down as the property becomes the outdoor recess area for the new facility. 

With the new school comes many new features. The newest features include an event hall, a community room, a multitude of open studying spaces, a large two-section cafeteria,  a yoga/fitness room, and many other unique features designed to enhance the learning experience, not to mention the benefits from bringing the Merrill and Webster communities closer together. 

Samantha Behnke, a member of the Instructional Support Team at Vel Phillips, is pleased with the change.

“For those of us that were traveling between the two buildings, it is definitely more convenient to be in one place,” she said. “Being together gives us the opportunity to build one cohesive culture for our middle school staff and students.”

Overall, the community’s feedback regarding the synergy of these schools has been positive. Additionally, faculty and staff have been working hard to make this dream a reality, and it has finally paid off.

“The combining of the two buildings has been a great success. For the past two years, the teaching staff from both buildings have been working together to make the transition to Vel Phillips as easy as possible for such a big undertaking,” Timothy O’Brien, the Dean of Students for Vel Phillips, said. “I am proud to be one of the deans, and I am looking forward to all the great things Vel Phillips students will get to experience this school year and years into the future. I look fondly at where we came from, but the future is bright.”

However, not everyone shares the same excitement about combining the two schools. Merrill was built in 1901 and Webster was built in 1953, so some had hoped to conserve and respect the architecture. Webster has already been taken down, but the debate on whether or not Merrill should be taken down is still ongoing, as the referendum never officially said the school would be taken down entirely.

Behnke is one of many who have mixed feelings about whether or not Merrill’s building should be removed.

“At first, I wasn’t sure how to feel about Merrill being taken down; this building holds many important memories for me,” she said. “But, I am also excited for the opportunities that the new space will provide to students.”

Former Webster Stanley student, Kiyah Brunner, feels the same way.

“I feel like the new school will be a great opportunity to build a stronger community, and it’s good to have a fresh start,” she said. “But I also feel as though Webster was structurally fine and shouldn’t have been taken down.”

With Merrill a historic building to Oshkosh, the Save Historic Merrill School organization is searching for ways to keep the oldest parts of the building, while also allowing room for recess and athletic areas to be implemented on the property. However, this idea has raised some controversy and debate.

“Merrill is old and has served its purpose,” Brunner said. “The building is worn down and is probably close to being a safety hazard. And it would look weird having only parts of the school left up.”

The decision has yet to be made; meanwhile, opinions on Vel Phillips are mostly positive. Community members, students, and staff alike seem to appreciate the new and modern environment. Former Webster student, Grace Freimark, sees the new school as a product of growth.

“My overall thoughts about the school are that it seems like a good thing for the community,” she said. “It will also offer new opportunities and benefits for the staff and students there once they overcome the obstacles of a new school building.”

Former Webster Stanley teacher, Susan Hoffman, is glad for the new school.

“Vel Phillips is beautiful. I am proud to be part of this new school,” she said.“The community chose to support our students with a top-notch facility that will provide our students with the opportunities they deserve.”

by   Jacquelyn Lobas

Published October 2 2023

Oshkosh West Index Volume 120 Issue I