WEST BEND, Wis.— West Bend East and West Bend West high schools remain closed Wednesday after a fire broke out in a second-floor classroom before the start of the school day.
The West Bend School district says the fire happened in the Nifty Nibble area of the shared high school building. The Nifty Nibble is an in-school cafe operated by culinary instructors and students.
The fire reached the ceiling area, prompting the district to close to the building to all students and staff Wednesday, November 4.
District officials say no students or staff were inside the building when the fire happened. The district thanked the West Bend Fire Department, West Bend Police Department and neighboring agencies for their response.
The district is working with fire and police officials, along with environmental and remediation specialists, to determine the cause of the fire and identity affected areas. Crews are also conducting air quality testing and evaluating building systems, including heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment.
The district says its goal is to resume in-person instruction, with only classrooms directly affected by the fire remaining closed. However, that decision depends on the results of the building assessments and recommendations from professionals.
If the building cannot safely reopen, the district says it may need to switch to virtual instruction.
West Bend High School remains closed Wednesday. The district says it will provide an update on Thursday’s instructional schedule as soon as more information becomes available.
West Bend School District also sent out a statement to families and the community:
Update for Students, Staff, Families, and Community
Earlier this morning, a fire occurred in a second floor classroom in the Nifty Nibble area of our High Schools and reached the ceiling area resulting in the closure of the building for all students and staff today, November 4, 2026.
We are grateful that this incident occurred before the start of the school day, when students and staff were not yet in the building. We sincerely appreciate the quick response from the West Bend Fire Department and West Bend Police Department as well as area departments who supported their response.
District officials are working closely with the West Bend Fire and Police Departments, along with environmental and remediation specialists, to assess the cause of the fire, determine affected areas, conduct air quality testing, and evaluate building systems, including HVAC equipment. These steps are essential to ensuring the building is safe for students and staff to return.
While our goal is to resume in-person instruction, with only the limited number of classrooms directly impacted by the fire remaining closed. However, this decision will depend on the results of our assessments and the recommendations of the professionals working with us. If the building cannot safely reopen, we may need to transition to a virtual instruction day.
West Bend High School remains closed at this time. We recognize the importance of providing families and staff with timely information so they can plan accordingly. We will communicate additional details, including a decision regarding tomorrow’s instructional schedule, as soon as more information is available.
The safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our highest priority. We thank our families, staff, and community for their patience and understanding, and we extend our sincere appreciation to the first responders and professionals assisting us.
Jen Wimmer
Superintendent
West Bend School District
