Original Research by School Decision on West Side Elementary
West Side Elementary is the entry point for the Mauston School District’s youngest students, serving pre-kindergarten through second grade. It is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and its enrollment is of moderate size for an early elementary building in a small city. The student body is predominantly white, with a smaller but present share of Hispanic students and students who identify as two or more races; the number of Asian, Black, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students is very small. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic need in the community. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not reported, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about how those populations are served and what supports are in place.
Mauston is a small city and the Juneau County seat, with a compact downtown along the Lemonweir River. The area has a rural, small-town feel, surrounded by lakes, cranberry bogs, dairy farms, and apple orchards. The population has been essentially flat in recent decades, with no major growth spurts. The city provides typical municipal services and has civic anchors such as Riverside Park with a riverwalk, the Hatch Public Library, and a general-aviation airport. Housing in the area is more affordable than typical costs across Wisconsin and the nation, making it a relatively attainable market for homebuyers.
Because West Side Elementary covers only the earliest grades, state assessments are not administered at this level. There are no test results to report, and no graduation rate exists for the school. That is a natural reflection of its grade band rather than a gap in performance. Similarly, no chronic absenteeism data were available in the provided information. The school’s placement relative to other schools in Juneau County cannot be measured on the usual metrics of proficiency, graduation, or attendance, since those metrics do not apply to a PK-2 building.
The school sits within the Mauston School District, which recently passed an operational referendum that has allowed it to restore key staff positions, reduce class sizes, and rebuild programs tied to student growth and engagement. This is a meaningful shift for families enrolling children at West Side, as it affects the staffing levels and class sizes they will encounter directly. The district’s schools are spread across separate campuses rather than clustered downtown. West Side Elementary is located on Grayside Avenue, while older elementary students attend Grayside Elementary (grades 3-5) and middle school students attend Olson Middle School, housed in the former high school building. Mauston High School operates on its own campus.
For a parent considering this school, the path is clear: West Side provides the foundation for the earliest years, after which children move to a separate building for grades 3-5, then to middle school, and ultimately to the high school. The district’s recent referendum suggests that class sizes and program availability are receiving intentional investment. The community is stable and affordable, with a modest pace of life. A family might want to learn more about the supports available for students with disabilities and English learners, since those figures were not reported in the available data. But for an early elementary experience in a small-town Wisconsin setting, West Side Elementary is what its grade band and community context suggest: a neighborhood entry point to a district that is actively working to strengthen its foundation.
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