NFL Draft 2025: “Rare opportunity for Wisconsin to be on the world stage”
The Green Bay Packers and Discover Green Bay held a press conference following the announcement that the city will host the 2025 NFL Draft.
Sarah Kloepping, Green Bay Press-Gazette
With the 2025 NFL Draft scheduled to take place at Lambeau Field next spring, some Green Bay school districts are starting the school year early to give students and staff a break during the draft.
Wisconsin state law requires public school classes to resume after September 1, but districts can apply for a waiver to begin earlier.
That’s exactly what Green Bay Area Public Schools and Ashwaubenon School District have done, anticipating traffic congestion and safety concerns during the NFL event. Other districts are starting earlier for other logistical reasons.
Here you can find details of school start times for schools in the region.
Why are schools in Green Bay starting earlier this year?
Due to the NFL Draft, public schools in the Green Bay Area and Ashwaubenon School District will begin classes earlier than September 1.
“Our reason for doing this was safety,” said GBAPS spokeswoman Lori Blakeslee. “We have two schools just blocks from Lambeau Field.”
The district wanted to ensure student safety in the face of increased traffic and avoid delays for buses or commuting teachers. GBAPS submitted a request for a waiver in November 2023.
The school board resolution approving the exemption request also mentions the Kansas City School District, which held virtual classes during the 2023 NFL Draft.
Other benefits of school closures during the draft became apparent after the fact, Blakeslee said.
“This also provides an opportunity for our students and staff to participate in this very exciting (event) in our community, which would have been less likely if we had been in school,” she said.
Schools in De Pere and Pulaski also start earlier, but for different reasons
Other districts — including the Unified School District of De Pere and the Pulaski School District — are starting before Sept. 1 for other reasons.
The Unified School District of De Pere has an exemption because the Green Bay Area Catholic Education (GRACE) Schools, a group of nine Catholic schools, do not have the same calendar as local public schools. School Superintendent Chris Thompson said the district would face a greater financial burden for student transportation if the GRACE and De Pere schools had different calendars.
The district has filed for a waiver to better align the start dates, Thompson explained. GRACE schools will start on Aug. 26 and the Unified School District of De Pere will start on Aug. 28.
The Pulaski School District is starting early so it can end school operations in early 2025. The district is renovating two elementary schools, Hillcrest and Sunnyside, and needs a longer summer break to complete those projects, said communications director Eric Schreiber. He expects the school calendar to return to normal once those construction projects are completed.
When do classes start in schools in the Green Bay area?
These school districts will begin before September 1:
- Public schools in the Green Bay area: August 26, except for Head Start, which begins August 28 for full-day students and September 4 for half-day students
- Ashwaubenon School District: 28 August
- Pulaski School District: 26.August
- De Pere Unified School District: 28 August
These school districts will begin after September 1:
- West De Pere School District: 3 September
- Howard-Suamico School District: September 3rd for kindergarten through 7th grade and 9th grade; September 4th for 8th grade and 10th through 12th grade; September 5th for 4K
When is the NFL Draft?
The NFL Draft is scheduled for April 24-26, 2025.
The Ashwaubenon School District has canceled classes for April 24 and 25. GBAPS has canceled classes for April 23-25.
What impact will the NFL Draft have on Green Bay?
During the draft, events are planned around Lambeau Field and Green Bay is preparing for crowds. Many hotel rooms in Green Bay are already booked for the draft and rental prices are exploding. The city with around 107,000 residents is expecting around 250,000 visitors to the event.
Blakeslee said that while safety was the priority in the decision to cancel classes during the draft, GBAPS can now offer school buses and facilities for use during the draft.
“We’re really fortunate in Green Bay that we work really well together as a community – public entities with each other and private and public entities,” Blakeslee said. The district is already receiving requests to use school buildings as gathering places during the draft, she added.
Contact Kathryn Muchnick at [email protected] or 812-568-4468.
