Reimagine 2025

Class sizes will be similar to current 6th grade class sizes. The middle school has enough classroom space to accommodate 6th grade students without increasing average class sizes.

Teachers will be given an opportunity to request a school building and job assignment for next year. It is very likely that many of our 6th grade teachers will move to the middle school, although some may wish to stay at their elementary building at a different grade level. We do not anticipate any teacher layoffs as a result of this shift.

The middle school building was originally built for this approximate number of students. Our middle school staff has reviewed classroom space, elective class spaces, gymnasium space, lunchroom space and many other space considerations and concluded that there is enough space.

Students coming from elementary school will actually have more time in physical education (phy ed) classes, as those are offered every other day at the middle school. Recess is available to students during lunch after they have eaten, either outdoors or in the gym. General physical activity will increase over elementary school as students get up and move from class to class several times per day.

A middle school planning team, including teaching staff, will be working over the next two months to finalize a detailed daily schedule, but the start time of the school day and the end time of the school day will remain the same or similar to what it is now at Forest Lake Area Middle School.

For students who come from elementary Immersion programs, there are immersion classes available at the Middle School in certain subjects.

Yes. Our nutrition services staff will be planning for the additional numbers of students and will ensure that students have enough time to eat.

Principals and district leaders have already begun meeting with transportation officials and Forest Lake Police Department to discuss improving the flow of traffic around the Middle School and High School during morning arrival and afternoon dismissal times. Plans will be finalized well in advance of the 2025-2026 school year.

It does take time to plan, however, preliminary planning work has already begun. Now that the board has taken action, final plans can be developed. Our middle school has already formed a planning team, including teachers and staff, and will be ready with final plans in the next few months.

Students in 6th grade will now have the option of after-school middle school sports, similar to other middle school grades. Middle school sports are managed by Forest Lake Area Schools Community Education and specific sport options and information will be released in time for fall 2025 sports registration.

Our middle school has a very robust program to help students transition from elementary school into middle school. This includes family information and open house nights in January, middle school counselor visits to elementary schools for registration and student information, and a thriving “Where Everybody Belongs” (WEB) leader program where older students help younger students adjust to their new school. This transition program will be provided this year for both incoming 6th and 7th grade students.

We are committed to making this a special year for both our 5th and 6th grade students as they complete their final year of elementary school. This includes making sure that 5th graders have the opportunity to do the big milestone events they’ve been looking forward to. Specifically, there will be a district-wide 5th grade track and field day and also a 6th grade track and field day. Each elementary school also has plans to make sure their 5th grade students have a special year and families will hear more about that from their school principal.

Teachers from both Forest Lake and Forest View will likely continue teaching the same grade levels in the one unified building. Other staff like paras, lunchroom staff and janitorial staff will have the opportunity to move into other open positions within the district.

There are enough classrooms within the Forest View Elementary building to continue to operate the same number of PreK-5th grade class sections as there are today at Forest View and Forest Lake Elementary. Class sizes and the number of sections in each grade are always based on current enrollment, so class numbers and sizes could change slightly from year to year.

The district did a thorough space analysis with our building contractors prior to presenting the school board proposal. Forest View Elementary has more readily usable classroom space. There are currently four unused classrooms in that building, as well as other classroom spaces, currently being used for other purposes, that can be returned to use as a classroom.

The school district will not rush into plans to repurpose, rent or sell the building, which means it will likely sit empty for at least a year. However, the major costs involved with operating a school are from the staff and the utilities like heat and water. The building will continue to be maintained and heated at a sustaining level, but we will still see significant cost savings from reduced staff and utility costs. 

Our first priority is our students and their wellbeing and success. However, school funding is tied to the numbers of students that we serve in our school. When there are less students, there is less funding available and difficult financial choices must be made. The money saved by consolidating the two schools will be used to prevent cuts to staff and services for students. Unlike a private company, there are no profits to be made, so funding (and the efficient use of limited resources) has a direct impact on the quality of education for students.

Our district is experiencing steadily declining enrollment due to lower numbers of school-age children living in the district. Since school funding is tied to the numbers of students served, we have less funding each year that enrollment decreases. The efficiencies and savings gained by closing Forest Lake Elementary will be used to prevent cuts to staff and services for students.

Just as we do with students in two separate buildings, we will continue to hire and maintain staff in the one consolidated building as needed to help support the needs of our students.