A New Andersen Elementary

Why a new Andersen Elementary?

• As the smallest elementary school in the district, Andersen is already near capacity and enrollment is expected to grow by about 100 students in the next 10 years. Afton-Lakeland Elementary, just to the south, is also near capacity and expected to grow by about 100 students as well. 

• Its small size creates staffing inefficiencies; and some staff has to be shared between buildings

• Andersen Elementary is more than 100 years old and has numerous deferred maintenance needs

• The traditional-style building is outdated and doesn’t meet the needs of today’s learners

• There are no flexible learning spaces, and limited Special Education and student services spaces and spaces for music, art, media, physical education

• The campus is undersized. Per the Minnesota Department of Education guidelines, the school should have a 14-19 acre site, but the current school sits on just 1.4 acres

• The current site offers no green space for outdoor learning or recreation, and students must cross a busy highway to access fields for physical education classes. The city of Bayport has been a wonderful partner by providing land for the school's playground and granting the school with access to its Village Green and Perro Creek Park.

• The site provides limited parking, and it's location on Highway 95 creates traffic issues before and after school. 

Did You Know? Andersen is the oldest building in the district and also the smallest of all 7 elementary schools

What a new school would provide:

• Increased capacity to address growth at Andersen, as well as relieve pressure at Afton-Lakeland
• Staffing efficiencies and less turnover of shared staff 
• Flexible learning spaces and modern learning environments
• Designated specialist spaces for music, media, art and special education 
• Larger gymnasium, cafeteria and other community/gathering spaces
• Larger campus with access to playing fields and green space and improved/safer traffic flow