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  • Need for a facility task force

    After several years of decline, enrollment has begun growing again in the northern areas of the district as the result of a boom in home construction, especially in Blaine and Ramsey. New home construction is also occurring in the largely rural city of Dayton on the district’s West boundary.
     
    In addition to the enrollment growth from new housing, the number of classrooms needed for kindergarten doubled when the Minnesota Legislature increased kindergarten from a half-day to a full day program.

    “We put some band aids in effect to deal with the growth we are experiencing now,” said Chuck Holden, chief operations officer. Over the last two summers the district built small additions at eight elementary schools and this year it shifted a number of students from Ramsey Elementary School to Wilson Elementary for kindergarten only. A ninth elementary addition is being built this summer.

    Board Chair Tom Heidemann said the district is nearing the end of a 15-year facility plan. “We want to look for more than just a short-term solution. The time is now for the School Board to form a community task force to study the trends and issues and come up with some options for the board to consider for the next 10 to 15 years.” 
     
    Below are documents from "Fit for the Future" meetings. Check out the district's "Rumor Alert" page for answers to the latest frequently asked questions on this topic.