Waconia is an anomaly among Minnesota school districts. As others struggle to keep students -- and the state aid that follows -- the west-metro district says it is one of about 30 that is still growing.

While other districts are shutting down schools due to dwindling enrollment, Waconia is gearing up to build.

On Monday, the school board voted 6 to 1 to sponsor a May 17 referendum on issuing $8 million in bonds to buy land for future schools.

"In some ways, it seems counter-intuitive because of the down economy," Superintendent Nancy Rajanen said. Housing developments have slowed, "but it does continue out here, while in other areas it's stopped."

Since 2001, the Waconia district has steadily grown at a rate of about 5 percent a year as neighboring cities such as St. Bonifacius and Minnetrista have expanded.

The 3,300-student district projects all of its schools will be at capacity by 2013 and that growth will continue to at least 2020.

What's especially unusual about the influx is that, unlike other school districts, Waconia's increase is not coming from students open-enrolling from another district. Instead, it has a higher birth rate and more young families moving into the community, Rajanen said. "The west [metro] has always been a desirable area."

When Principal Mark Fredericksen opened Waconia High in 1995, the school had about 500 students. Now, 1,000 students fill its hallways.

"It's kind of a zoo through there," he said. "The building is maxing out."

While the school has additional classroom space thanks to a 2005 referendum, common areas such as hallways are squeezed for space.

About 100 additional students enter the district each year, leading to projections that the high school will have an enrollment of 1,500 students by 2020. Both of the district's elementary schools are also at capacity.

"Now is the opportunity to buy land," Rajanen said.

The May referendum would fund the purchase of land for a future elementary and a future high school: 90 acres in Waconia near County Road 10 and Little Avenue, and 49 acres in Minnetrista near Country Road 92 and Towns Edge Road.

In 2006, it cost about $88,000 an acre for land for the middle school. Now, between the two parcels of land, it would cost the district an average of $42,000 per acre -- a "reasonable price," board Vice Chair John Weinand said. "It seems to be prudent to bring something like this forward now."

If the proposal is approved in the May vote, the owner of an average Waconia home valued at $200,000 would pay $30 more a year in taxes to the district. If voters approve it, Rajanen said officials would still have to determine what to build and wouldn't have a building referendum until at least 2012.

Tough turf

Statewide, public support for school referendums waned as the economy soured. Last fall, 42 of 76 Minnesota districts got at least some of what they asked voters to support in referendums.

Waconia leaders, however, are optimistic about resident support, though it has been mixed in the past. The district's last referendum was for a levy increase in 2007, and it passed with 51 percent approval. But voters rejected 2006 bond and levy referendums after passing a 2005 $33 million referendum for school additions.

In December, a survey of 400 district residents showed that 53 percent support a referendum limited to land purchase -- a "relatively positive" number, Rajanen said. Ten percent were undecided while 37 percent said they would vote against the proposal.

"Finances are stretched," Weinand said. "But we're continuing to look forward and find places to invest in the community."

Kelly Smith • 612-673-4141