Wisconsin International School owes more than $500K

• Wisconsin International School filed for bankruptcy July 10
• Claims include more than %24500%2C000 in back pay
• Some families paid nearly %2430%2C000 for tuition

DE PERE – Some parents are out nearly $30,000 in tuition payments after the private Wisconsin International School closed suddenly in June.

Officials for the school filed with the federal Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin in Milwaukee on July 10, after notifying parents and staff by email the school was shutting down immediately on June 26.

The Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing indicates the school has estimated assets of up to $50,000 and estimated liabilities of about $550,000. That includes about $166,176 in wages and salaries and another $383,438 to other creditors.

Under a Chapter 7 filing, a business liquidates any assets and dissolves. A trustee is appointed to determine ways to divide assets, and claims that cannot be paid may be forgiven.

The Wisconsin International School filing shows wage claims for employees ranging from about $1,300 to $9,800. The filing indicates former school director Mary Vanden Busch is owed $15,346 in wages.

Many families also are out prepaid tuition. Several made tuition payments of around $19,000 and two families paid more than $29,000 for tuition to the defunct school, according to the filing. A handful paid more than $10,000, while many claims show payments from $1,000 to $2,000.

Todd Thiel, former school board president who co-signed the letter announcing the school's closure in June, is out about $17,350 in tuition, according to the filing.

The school owes BMO Harris Bank $51,201 for a line of credit, the filing says. It also owes the city of De Pere Water Department $3,500, and $2,571 to Wisconsin Public Service.

A meeting of creditors with a judge is set for noon on Aug. 21 in Green Bay. Wisconsin International School representatives are required to attend and creditors are invited.

Officials offered little explanation when the 6-year-old school at 405 Grant St. closed. Teachers headed to the school later that day to collect personal belongings, and some told Press-Gazette Media they had not been given a reason for the closing.

The school followed up with a notice to parents and staff saying its books couldn't be balanced due to declining enrollment and fundraising shortfalls.

Projected enrollment for the new school year started off strong in early spring, but by June showed a drop of 30 percent — from 171 students in 2013-14 to 120 for 2014-15, board members said in the notice. Fundraising efforts for 2013-14 also fell 30 percent short of budget, the letter said.

The independent was an International Baccalaureate Primary Years world school. It reported serving about 800 students.

Parents were angered about the sudden closing.

Nicole Donart-Manty paid $815, or about 10 percent, of next year's tuition. Her son will be entering kindergarten.

"At no time were we ever told 'hey we have a problem' or that more money needed to be raised," she told Press-Gazette Media this month. "Volunteering at the school was mandatory and parents were invested in the school.

"If they had said something, I am sure parents and families would have opened their pockets."

— pzarling@pressgazettemedia.com or follow her on Twitter @PGPattiZarling