A Team Staff News

A-Team Staff,

I hope everyone had a great and restful MEA break. It is always good to take a breath after conferences.

Speaking of conferences, I want to take a moment to say thank you for the amazing family connections you all made at our conferences in the past few weeks.

Those strong, positive school-to-home relationships are the absolute foundation of our students' experience. It's that essential partnership that ensures every student feels deeply supported, seen, and ready to thrive. You are all making a difference!

​As we celebrate these successes and the dedication of our entire school community, it’s also important to turn our attention to the challenges and critical choices that lie ahead for Alexandria Public Schools. What we’ve built at Alexandria Public Schools is special. Election Day is just two weeks away. I’ve been talking about this plan with voters in our district this fall, and I’m encouraged by the thoughtful questions and ideas I’ve heard. But most of all, I am proud of the incredible reputation you’ve helped us build through your hard work, care and dedication.

Thank you for all you do to make this story possible. As we look to the future, our goal is to sustain it for every student who walks through our halls. However, our district is facing financial challenges that will threaten that future without new funding. As you may know, a 20-year state funding shortfall is impacting our classrooms – despite careful budget management. The district has made $5 million in cuts in recent years, and even after those reductions, we are facing a projected $4 million shortfall for the 2027-28 school year.

On November 3, voters will consider a plan to replace our current levies with a new operating levy referendum that would generate $3.7 million per year ($2,225 per student) for 10 years. If approved, this levy would also allow us to bring state education dollars home through a new state aid program, with about half of the levy paid by the state rather than local taxpayers. The other half of the levy would be supported by a $10 per month property tax increase for the owner of a typical $400,000 home in our district.

In my conversations with our community, two questions continue to be asked:

What happens if the levy passes?
If approved, the operating levy would provide critical funding to support the high-quality education our community expects and students deserve, including:

• Smaller class sizes

• Our unique neighborhood education model, which provides convenience and connection for students, families and staff

• Essential support services for students

• The Academies of Alexandria

• Community partnerships for learning beyond the classroom

• Real-world learning and industry certifications

What happens if the levy does not pass?
Without new funding, the district will need to make difficult decisions, which could include:

• Cuts to academics, electives, community programming and essential student support services

• Reducing 15-20 staff positions

• Raising activity fees

• Significant changes to our neighborhood elementary school model. Those changes could include:

• Closing one or more elementary schools

• Redrawing elementary school boundaries, which could change which school students attend

• Changing how grades are grouped across schools (i.e., a K-2 school and 3-5 school)

• A mix of the above changes
  
  

If the referendum is not approved, district leaders will develop a detailed plan to determine where budget reductions would be made.

This decision will be made by those who see firsthand what our schools mean for our Greater Alexandria communities. If you are a district resident, please make a plan to vote on or before November 3 and visit CardinalCommunityPlan.org to learn more.

Thank you for staying informed, helping families find answers to their questions, and for everything you do to make Alexandria Public Schools a place where every learner can thrive.

Sincerely,

Rick Sansted, Superintendent

We want to thank you for your continued engagement as our community learns more about the upcoming operating levy referendum. As trusted “information ambassadors," you play an important role in helping families and community members understand what makes our district special and what’s at stake in the November referendum. The Staff Engagement Guide provides talking points and guidance for those conversations.

Key reminders from the Staff Engagement Guide:

• Know the basics: The November 3 operating levy referendum would unlock approximately $3.7 million in new funding, with about 51% provided through a new state aid program if approved by voters. Only the new levy brings these State dollars home. The old levies can't.
• Follow the rules of thumb: When acting in your role as a district employee, you may only share factual information – avoid advocating for or against the referendum.
• Help inform others: Review referendum materials, share what you love about working with our students and schools, and direct people to district resources at, CardinalCommunityPlan.org.
• If you don't know the answer: It's okay to say, "I don't know." Direct community members to the district's referendum resources or connect them with Rick Sansted, Superintendent or Communications & Marketing Director Jill Johnson.

Pre-Labor Day Start Survey: Please take a moment to complete this brief survey regarding our pre-Labor Day start. While we previously gathered feedback on the schedule, structure, and content of our back-to-school week, we want to collect additional data specifically focused on starting before Labor Day. Our calendar is finalized for 2027–2028, and because Labor Day falls late, we will start before Labor Day next school year. We will gather feedback from staff and parents this fall and again next fall to help our calendar committee plan for 2028–2029 and beyond.

We welcome the following individuals to our A-Team Staff:

Anita Allison: Bus Driver, Transportation, effective 10/19/26

Kathryn Cochran: Kitchen Assistant, AAHS, effective 10/5/26

Antonia Gomez Camacho: Paraprofessional, ABE, effective 10/5/26

Grace Lundeen: Paraprofessional, DMS, effective 10/19/26

David Rauscher: Paraprofessional, AAHS, effective 10/5/26

The following policies received a first reading at the September 28, 2026 board meeting:

• Policy 504 - Student Dress and Appearance (renumbered from 567)
• Policy 516.5 - Overdose Medication
• Policy 525 - Violence Prevention (renumbered from 539)
• Policy 537 - Shared Time
• Policy 538 - Student Travel
• Policy 543 - Lost or Damaged Textbooks, Library Materials and Devices
• Policy 550 - Student Grading and Assessment
• Policy 551 - Early Admission Policy
• Policy 560 - Elementary Student Transfer Process

• Justin Dahlheimer, Director of Finance & Facilities, provided an update on District enrollment numbers as of October 1.
• The School Board took action to approve 2026-27 school site goals and action plans as presented by Dr. Trish Perry, Asst. Superintendent - Teaching & Learning. These plans utilize assessment results from the 2025-26 school year. The building goals have been reviewed by the Board Curriculum/Policy Committee.
• The Board took action to amend the 2026–2027 substitute teacher pay rates to account for the longer school day at Carlos Cardinal Academy. The revised rates for Carlos Cardinal Academy are effective October 19, 2026 and will not be applied retroactively.

Thirty-five Alexandria Area High School students have been named All-Conference musicians for their talents in their respective area. These talented musicians include:

• Band:
  • Flute: Shaelyn Groen and Leah Olberding
  • Oboe: Elena Lindwall
  • Clarinet: Sofia Christensen, Anna Lindwall and Dhani Wencl-Singh
  • Bass Clarinet: Madison Harrison and Kaitlyn Uhde
  • Trumpet: Carter Gamm
  • French Horn: Natalie Travis and Lucas Steimann
  • Trombone: Jack Chelin
  • Percussion: Isaac Grieve
• Choir:
  • Soprano: Mia Meier, Raymie Kron and Ryne Gordon
  • Alto: Molly Bedore, Bria Burginger and Esther Bernards
  • Tenor: Jase Zeithamer, Dominic Lynch and Brayden Zollner
  • Bass: Luca Jensen, Jaden Norheim and Jonah Monette
• Orchestra:
  • Violin: Alex Rodriguez, Joshua Makalinao, Ella Vanderheiden, Savana Groetsch and Nevaeh Magana
  • Viola: Gavin Peterson, Lucy Keding and Jayden Brusven
  • Cello: Nathan Cook and Ava Hinnenkamp

Athletes recognized this past month as Central Lakes Conference Performers of the Week in their respective sport include:

• Jakin Miller - Cross Country: Personal Record on a tough course at Cold Spring, placing 3rd with a time of 16:30
• Jada McAdoo - Girls Soccer: done an excellent job as a back line defender
• Addy Erickson - Girls Swim: won the 200 & 500 Free and 1st place in the 200 Free Relay
• Connor Anderson - Football: had 7 tackles, 2 tackles for loss and 2 interceptions

• October 22: WES Muffins in the Morning, 7:15-7:45am; AAHS Fall Choir Concert, 7pm, PAC

• October 26: AAHS Fall Orchestra Concert, 7pm, PAC

• October 27: DMS Picture Retake Day

• October 29: VES Bingo for Books, 5:30-7:30pm

• October 31: Halloween

• November 1: Daylight Savings Time Ends

• November 2: AAHS Fall Band Concert, 7pm, PAC

• November 3: General Election Day - No Activities from 6-8pm

• November 5: WES Picture Retake Day, 7:45am-1pm; End of 1st Quarter

• November 6: No School PreK-12; Professional Development Day PreK-12

Early in-person voting for the November 3 election opened Oct 16, and it's a quick, easy way to cast your ballot in the upcoming operating levy referendum.

New in 2026, early in-person voting works just like voting on Election Day: when you arrive, you'll receive your ballot, vote on site and feed your completed ballot into the ballot counter.

I encourage you to make use of this new opportunity to cast your vote early at the Douglas County Auditor-Treasurer Office (821 Cedar St, Alexandria, MN, 56308), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Extended voting hours are also available:

• Saturday, Oct. 24: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• Tuesday, Oct. 27: 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.
• Saturday, Oct. 31: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• Sunday, Nov. 1: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• Monday, Nov. 2: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Our Vision is to be an extraordinary school district that tailors learning for all, by working together!

Email: jjohnson@alexschools.org
Website: www.alexschools.org
Location: 1410 South McKay Ave., Suite 201 Alexandria, MN 56308
Phone: 320-762-2141
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexmnschools/

Instagram: @alexmnschools

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_iI9ts5_R87BvAMxvlM69A