It’s a problem that many school districts in Minnesota only wish they had.
Since construction on the new Lake Park-Audubon High School in Lake Park and LP-A Elementary addition in Audubon was completed a couple of years ago, enrollment has burgeoned - so much so that with the 2016-17 school year, the district is anticipating at least three sections at every elementary grade level, kindergarten through sixth.
Currently, there are only two sections of sixth grade, but there are three sections in every other grade level below that, with anticipated kindergarten counts promising no relief in that regard. The dilemma facing the LP-A School Board in the coming months is that there is no additional classroom space available in the existing Audubon elementary building to add a third section of sixth grade next year.
“There’s no more room space available here,” said LP-A Superintendent Dale Hogie during Monday night’s regular school board meeting, which was held in the Audubon elementary building.
“We knew this was coming,” said Board Chair Vicky Grondahl, referring to past board meeting discussions about the lack of available classroom space in the elementary building that began as early as two years ago, when the possibility of constructing an early childhood center for the district was first discussed (and later abandoned due to cost concerns).
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Hogie said that he had visited with industrial arts instructor Cole Wixo about the possibility of having his construction trades class build some small, portable classrooms as a temporary solution to the problem.
“Our options for next year are limited,” said board member Bryan Anderson, adding that he felt temporary classrooms or the conversion of gymnasium space were the most likely options.
“Or we could add on (to the elementary building),” said Grondahl, but Anderson noted that it was unlikely they could get a permanent addition built in time for the start of the 2016-17 school year.
Grondahl added that she would like to have some idea of the cost for temporary classrooms before making any decisions.
“We need more information,” she said.
Hogie said that the buildings and grounds committee would need to meet sometime in the next few weeks to begin reviewing possible options.
Also at Monday’s meeting, the school board approved a preliminary district property tax levy of $2,487,874 for 2016. If approved, this would mark a 2.88 percent decrease from the 2015 levy. A truth in taxation hearing on the proposed levy was set for 6 p.m. on Dec. 7. The board must finalize the 2016 tax levy at its regular December meeting, which is set for Dec. 21.
