Stillwater schools look toward 2014 in vision plan

The Stillwater school board has approved its 2014 vision plan, which includes the option of creating a new high school and moving elementary students to relieve crowding.

The plan broadly defines the direction the district will take in the next four years amid looming budget cuts from the state, said interim Superintendent Tom Nelson.

Many details in the plan aren't final. Some items, such as redrawing elementary boundary lines and changing junior high schools into middle schools, require more research, administrators said.

If the district decides to switch to a middle-school model, it either would have to expand the high school or create a new high school to accommodate the freshman class.

That may result in the district asking the community for a referendum next year, said spokeswoman Carissa Keister. The board will decide on the need for a referendum at its May monthly meeting, Keister said.

The board will hold three public hearings in January on redrawing elementary boundary lines to relieve crowding in the southern region of the district. The district serves about 8,900 students and has 14 schools.

Under the direction of Nelson, administrators began developing the plan over the summer. The administration then presented the plan to community members through a series of 36 staff and public meetings held over the past few months.

The administration will present to the board in the next four months more research on changes in class sizes, support staff, grade configuration, graduation requirements, technology equipment and building issues.

The vision also establishes a new mission, vision, beliefs and other strategic directions for the district.

For more information on the district's Vision 2014 plan, visit www.stillwater.k12.mn.us/Vision2014.