GREEN BAY – During its April 28 meeting, the Green Bay Area Public Schools (GBAPS) Board of Education voted to name its new west side elementary Starr Elementary School — after Bart and Cherry Starr.
“Bart Starr was the Green Bay Packers quarterback who led the team to five NFL championships and the first two Super Bowls. He also served as the Packers head coach from 1975-1983. Bart was praised for his leadership qualities and exemplary character, both as a player and a person,” a district release stated.
Board Vice President Lynn Gerlach amended a motion to name the school after both Bart and Cherry.
“I'm going to suggest that we take the advice of the president of the Packers Hall of Fame (Inc.) and name the school Starr Elementary School. And this is why: We all received an email from Dr. Sipes saying that the Packers Hall of Fame, if we will name it Starr Elementary School, we will be able to recognize both Bart Starr and Cherry and that the Packers Hall of Fame will give us a bust of both Bart Starr and Cherry Star,” Gerlach said.
“And I contacted Dr. (Don) Sipes and asked him, I said, ‘If you're offering this, are you really going to come through for us? Because I would love to have an elementary school where the little girls walk in and they see a woman there, and most of those little girls are going to grow up to be wives and there's no better role model for a wife than Cherry Starr was.
“And, Bart and Cherry Starr started the Rawhide Boys Ranch together. They started the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation together. They did everything together.
“And remember when he had passed away and we renamed the Walnut Street Bridge the Bart Starr Memorial Bridge. She came and helped us dedicate it.”
Starr Elementary will be located on the Kennedy Elementary property on Ninth Street and is set to open in 2026.
Students from Kennedy, Keller Elementary and MacArthur Elementary will attend Starr Elementary.
Construction on the school begins this summer.
Sipes said the busts will be presented to the school in 2027.
During the meeting, newly-elected board members, Jeanette Knill and Alex Mineau, were given a seat at the table as they begin their terms.
They take over the seats of outgoing board members Rick Crosson and Bryan Milz.
The board also held its annual officer election and the following individuals began their roles that evening:
President — James Lyerly
Vice President —Lynn Gerlach
Treasurer — Andrew Becker
School District Clerk — Jeanette Knill
In other action, the board approved increasing the musical instrument rental from $60 to $120 for the 2025-26 school year.
“The increase of the instrument rental fee was recommended following a review of the costs to maintain the district’s instrument inventory and has not been raised significantly in over 20 years,” a statement from the district said.
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