The Oshkosh community is invited to celebrate and experience Oshkosh’s brand-new public middle school. A public dedication and community open house for Vel Phillips Middle School will take place on Sunday, September 17 from 4 - 6 p.m.

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The celebration will feature a dedication ceremony starting at 4 p.m. in the atrium at Vel Phillips Middle School, 1401 Kentucky Street, Oshkosh, WI 54901.  Following the ceremony, the school will be open for self-guided tours.

• Free Shuttle: A free shuttle service will be available to help with onsite traffic flow and parking. The shuttle bus (provided by Kobussen) will begin at 3 p.m. and depart from Oshkosh North High School (1100 W Smith Ave) - in the lot closest to the tennis courts - approximately every 15 minutes. The last shuttle will depart Oshkosh North at 5:15 p.m. and the last return shuttle from Vel Phillips will depart at 6:15 p.m.
• Parking: Limited parking will be available on site at Vel Phillips, as the school lots can accommodate just under 150 vehicles. Parking on nearby streets and on the nearby Merrill school campus will be available; please follow all posted parking signs.
• Doors Open: Doors will open at 3:30 p.m. The event begins with a dedication ceremony at 4 p.m. in the atrium. Guests will be able to take self-guided tours of the school following the ceremony at about 4:30 p.m.

Open house events for Vel Phillips students and parents/guardians will take place in late August. These events will provide incoming families with the opportunity to tour the school and meet with teachers and school staff. These events are not open to the general public. Additional information was shared with families via emails and announcements from the school. 

Vel Phillips Middle School will open for the start of the 2023-2024 school year. School leaders have thoughtfully and intentionally planned out the first days of the new school year including a staggered start for students. Vel Phillips grade 8 students will attend their first day of school on Friday, September 1, 2023. Vel Phillips grade 6 and 7 students will attend their first day of school on Tuesday, September 5, 2023. The staggered start will allow staff to slowly help students adjust to the new building and routines, and provide the oldest students with time to model school routines and support younger students during their first day of school. 

Vel Phillips Middle School was funded as part of the $107 million dollar capital referendum, approved by voters in November of 2020. The 800-student middle school brings together the former Merrill and Webster Stanley Middle School communities. Features of the state-of-the-art facility include flexible learning spaces, STEAM lab, media center and production studio, fine arts wing, expansive gymnasium, community room, life skills kitchen, fitness and yoga studios, leading-edge safety and security systems, and more. The new middle school is one component of the first phase of the District’s long-range facilities plan. To learn more visit www.oshkosh.k12.wi.us/facilities.