MILROY — The Milroy Public School district will be officially closing its doors at the end of this school year, and will consolidate with Tracy Area Public Schools in July.

“We will continue to be open through the end of the school year. The school will be closed July 1, 2026,” Milroy superintendent John Willey said. “It’s difficult to close the school, it’s very emotional. But, I keep telling those that listen, that this is what’s best for our kids. This is the best move.”

Milroy, which currently serves pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, has an enrollment of around 30 students this school year. Milroy seventh to 12th graders have been attending other area districts for a number of years, such as Wabasso, Marshall and Tracy.

The decision to consolidate ultimately came from the result of low enrollment numbers and building maintenance.

“Enrollment, just like all small schools, had dropped,” Willey said. “Last year, right about this time, I was projecting enrollments, and Milroy’s projected student outcome was not good with our census.”

“The building itself … They maintained it, they made it work, but now the building is in dire need of repair,” Willey added. “The expense is extraordinary, to say the least, and when you financially get down to it and take a serious look at it, the choice to do the repairs that need to be done, the choice to keep the structure of the building intact, is more expensive for the taxpayers than consolidating.”

The Milroy and Tracy school boards began to have serious conversations about consolidation in January of this year, and reached an agreement in August.

“The community was saddened, I would say is a good word, because it’s hard to have a small school go away in a small community. It’s devastating,” Willey said. “But, the understanding of the tax impact that they’ve (City of Milroy) been dealing with for a number of years … They are seeing what’s going on.”

At the start of the process, the school board advised Willey to have conversations with surrounding districts to see who would agree to consolidate.

“Prior to making a complete decision to consolidate, the board had me speak with the three area districts of Tracy, Marshall and Wabasso, to see what interests they would have. The one that had the highest interest, by far, was Tracy,” Willey said. “The steps are in place, MDE (Minnesota Department of Education) has been notified and resolutions have been passed. Our next steps are just getting all the official paperwork and notices taken care of.”

The current school building will be officially posted for sale, with preparations also being made for possible demolition if it does not sell.

The Tracy school district did not have interest in the building, Willey noted.

“The building is officially up for sale. It will be a bid process … If we get any strong qualified suitors to buy the building, the board will make that decision to sell or not to sell it to them,” Willey said. “But, we are preparing … If it does not sell, to demolish the building.”

Consolidating with Tracy does bring some familiarity to the students, which may ease the transition, as the two currently combine for Tracy-Milroy-Balaton activities.

“That was always a serious look,” Willey said regarding how Milroy and Tracy already work together in extra-curriculars. “When Balaton consolidated with them a number of years ago and Milroy High School closed down … Our kids already identify very well with (Tracy). When our sixth graders typically move to seventh grade, I would say 95% of them typically end up in Tracy.”

Willey noted that with consolidation, all assets including permanent fixtures and liquid assets, go to the new district.

“Tracy will be coming into our district, their administrative staff and some of their board members, will be visiting our building here in the next couple of weeks, kind of just looking at the inventory of things that they think that (may want),” Willey said. “A perfect example would be, we’re no longer offering band, but we have some good band equipment. Since we officially set the resolution to consolidate, I allowed the Tracy band instructor to come in to do inventory of the band room … Those assets were going to be Tracy’s anyway, and some of those things have already transferred over.”

Other assets that are currently being used will transfer to Tracy when the school year ends.

When it comes to Milroy staffing, employees will have the option to transfer to Tracy.

“By statute, all staff members must be given the opportunity for a position in the new district,” Willey said. “All staff members will be given an opportunity to be employed by Tracy, with the exception of the school administrator, which is me.”

Willey said for himself, he will continue working with the building and consolidation process when the school year ends, but may consider retirement while continuing his driver-education business as well.

The Milroy and Tracy school board will also become one.

“When schools combine, legally by statute of law, the school boards must combine,” Willey said. “Over time, that (school board) membership will go back down to seven as it processes through the election process.”

Milroy currently has a six-member board, and Tracy has seven members, Willey noted. There are two Milroy board members that will be resigning at the end of the school year and not transfer to Tracy.

While Willey noted the consolidation will be a positive move for the students with growing opportunities, the closing of a school also carries a magnitude of emotions.

“As I’ve done in all my 37 years of education, my focus is what is best for kids, and this consolidation is what is best for these kids,” Willey said. “Are we providing a good quality level of education? We are. We have some outstanding teachers. But, there’s also opportunities that we cannot provide, an example of music and band. That’s a great enrichment for kids … This move will give them those opportunities.”

Willey also said he has appreciated the small school district for the close relationships it has built, and described the school as “family-centered” and “family based.”

The school year will continue on as normal for Milroy, with the last day of operation being June 30, 2026, when the official consolidation goes into place the first of July.

“Our school year this year, as in the type of feelings, the morale is extremely high. We are celebrating every day. We are still the Milroy school district, and that is who we are,” Willey said. “As the year comes to an end, it will get more difficult. There will be many more emotions, but there will be great celebrations, too.”