MANITOWOC (NBC 26) — The Manitowoc Public School District has approved a budget that includes school closures and significant changes to grade-level organization across buildings, as the district grapples with declining enrollment.

Watch the full broadcast here: Manitowoc Public School District approves budget with school closures, grade restructuring

Superintendent Lee Thennes said falling student numbers have left 70 classrooms across the district underused, prompting the need for major restructuring.

"We need to go from 6 elementary schools to 4," Thennes said. "We move to a structure where we have 5th and 6th grade together at one of our middle buildings and then a 7th and 8th grade building in the other middle building."

The changes are part of the district's newly approved bud

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