Original Research by School Decision on Korger-chestnut
Korger-Chestnut is a public preschool located in Chippewa Falls, serving only Pre-Kindergarten students. Because it is a single-grade early childhood program, there are no state assessment results, no graduation rate, and no data on chronic absenteeism or student discipline available for this school. The absence of those measures reflects the nature of the school's grade band, not a gap in performance. The school enrolled a student population that was predominantly white, with small shares of Hispanic and multiracial students, and a very small number of Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Black students. Roughly one out of every five students qualified for free or reduced-price lunch, based on the data available.
The school is part of the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District, which operates the full K-12 system in the city. The district recently passed a major referendum in 2024 to fund facility improvements across all school buildings, including safety and security upgrades, HVAC replacement, and roofing. This is a lasting property-tax increase for residents. The district also launched a new science-based reading program in the 2024-2025 school year across all elementary schools, which means the approach to early literacy that will eventually reach Korger-Chestnut's students has shifted. A new Stillson Elementary building opened in 2020, replacing an older structure.
Chippewa Falls is a small city on the Chippewa River, the county seat of Chippewa County. Its economy includes major employers such as TTM Advanced Circuits, Saint Joseph's Hospital, Walmart, and the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company, which is also a cultural anchor. The city has a revitalized downtown area centered on Bridge Street, with historic structures like the Cook-Rutledge House and Hotel Chippewa on the National Register of Historic Places. Irvine Park and the Heyde Center for the Arts are civic anchors. Housing values in the area were near the state benchmark, and the estimated monthly cost of renting was lower than the estimated mortgage payment, making purchase more expensive than renting on a monthly basis in the current market.
For a family considering Korger-Chestnut, the school offers a dedicated pre-K environment within a district that has recent curriculum changes and a planned facilities upgrade. The school itself is small and focused on its single grade. The broader community provides a range of employers, historic downtown amenities, and outdoor recreation along the river and nearby Lake Wissota. A parent may want to ask the school about specific early childhood programs, class size, and staff qualifications, as that information was not present in the data.
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