Summer 2013
Excellence. For each and every student.
Communicator Growing Demand for Wayzata Schools Impacts Facilities
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he Wayzata School Board and administration have been working hard to review and take into consideration recent changes impacting our facility needs for the future. In addition to enrollment projections that indicate a growing resident student population, the State also provided funding for all-day Kindergarten as part of the legislative session that ended in May. This is a wonderful opportunity for our youngest learners, but it comes with the challenge of needing even more elementary classrooms than anticipated. Wayzata Public Schools student population is growing The demand to attend Wayzata Public Schools has never been greater. Recently updated projections indicate that our total K-12 resident student enrollment is expected to increase twice as fast as it increased in the past 10 years. This anticipated growth can be attributed to an increase in births, an inflow of students moving into the district and significant new home development, especially in the northern portion of our district. Wayzata Public Schools has been closed to open enrollment, only accepting the number of nonresident students required by law, for the past two years to focus on meeting the needs of a growing resident student population. During the past four years, 1,200 new homes have been built within the district, and it is anticipated that at least another 1,600 homes will be built in the next four years. Within the Wayzata Public School District boundaries, developments are not only occurring in the city of Plymouth, but also in the cities of Corocoran, Maple Grove and Medina. New elementary additions underway, more space needed for all-day Kindergarten An important part of addressing future elementary capacity needs is underway with additions being built at Greenwood, Oakwood and Sunset Hill Elementary Schools. The additional classroom and instructional space will be done in time for the 2013-14 school year. These new additions, coupled with the recent school attendance area boundary changes, were originally thought to be sufficient for addressing elementary space needs for the next 3-5 years. However, with the Legislature recently approving all-day Kindergarten starting in the fall of 2014,
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more classrooms will be needed than anticipated. While the State is providing funding for all-day Kindergarten, the funding amount does not include money to address increased facility needs.
enrollment is expected to grow by as many as 900 students in the next 10 years. A committee of citizens, made up of district residents, alumni, parents and grandparents, studied the effects of the growing student population over the next 8-10 years and presented its recommendation to add on to the high school to the Wayzata School Board at its May 20 Work Session.
Citizens Committee recommends High School addition The Board is also in the process of determining what action is needed to address the growing secondary student population. At this time, we expect that middle school enrollment increases can be accommodated by reconfiguring exsting space without adding space to any of our middle schools. Wayzata High School is already at capacity and
Board plans for bond referendum The Board will continue discussions regarding bringing a referendum to voters in excess of $100 million to fund a range of building needs across the district to achieve our mission of providing an excellent educational experience for each and every student. Visit our newly-updated website at www.wayzata.k12.mn.us for more information and updates as this process unfolds.
New housing developments are on the rise in the Wayzata Public School District. Above: A new apartment building is being constructed in Minnetonka along the 494 frontage road. Below: A single family housing development is underway along Dunkirk Lane in Plymouth. The District anticipates the construction of at least another 1,600 single family homes over the next four years.