lacrosse area residents making their voices heard about potential elementary school closures in Lacrosse during tonight's school board meeting attendees spoke out against the facility advisory committee's recommendation to close both Northwoods and hinin Elementary many of tonight's speakers advocated for keeping Northwoods open saying its IB Program brings more students into the district speakers also argued that Northwoods which was open in 1992 is a newer nicer building than other elementary schools in the district Norwoods is attracting people to this community both with its IB program but also with its building and the school board has cited declining enrollment over the last few decades as the primary reason for school consolidation many of tonight's speakers also called for Emerson to be closed instead of Northwoods saying Emerson's building is old and in need of more maintenance the school board does not have to listen to the facility advisory committee's recommendation