Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Public Schools Close Friday for the Brewers Championship Parade

Milwaukee Public Schools will be closed on Friday, and the reason is a parade. The district announced on Thursday that all of its schools and district offices will close on Oct. 30 because the Milwaukee Brewers championship celebration and parade downtown may affect district operations and safety, TMJ4 reported.

In an email to families on Oct. 29, Superintendent Brenda Cassellius said district officials chose to cancel classes because the downtown parade may impact district operations and safety, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. "We recognize this may present a challenge to families," Cassellius said. "Please know we considered all options before making this decision."

What closes on Friday

All school sites will be closed, and staff should not report, the Journal Sentinel reported. The district central office will also be closed. No classes will be held, and there will be no Milwaukee Recreation programs and no before or after school activities.

There are two exceptions. High school postseason athletics events will continue as scheduled, the district said. Essential facilities staff are still expected to report, as outlined in inclement weather procedures, TMJ4 reported.

FOX6 Milwaukee also confirmed the closure, reporting that MPS announced all schools and district offices will be closed on Friday, Oct. 30, and citing operations and safety impacts from the championship parade and celebration.

Why the city is celebrating

The Brewers beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4 to 1 in Game 5 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Wednesday night to win the first World Series title in franchise history, Reuters reported. Jacob Misiorowski threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings of two hit ball, and catcher William Contreras was named World Series most valuable player after batting .381, with 8 hits in 21 at bats and four runs batted in. Rookie Cooper Pratt became the first rookie to record hits in six consecutive World Series at bats.

"The pressure is out of this world," Pratt said, according to Reuters. "It is some of the hardest but most fun baseball I have ever been a part of. I messed up a lot of times this postseason, but the guys picked me up, and we are world champions."

The franchise began as the Seattle Pilots in 1969 and moved to Milwaukee in 1970. Its only previous World Series appearance came in 1982, when it lost in seven games to the St. Louis Cardinals.

The championship parade starts at 10 a.m. on Friday at North 4th Street and West Wisconsin Avenue and winds through downtown to Henry Maier Festival Park, where a rally and fan festival will follow. The festival grounds open at 8 a.m., and entry is free while space lasts.

For MPS families, the celebration comes with a practical change at home. Friday is now a day off for students across the district, on the same morning the parade fills downtown.

"We join our entire community in celebrating this historic moment for the World Champion Milwaukee Brewers and the City of Milwaukee," Cassellius wrote in the email to families.