ENG 2026-27 Family Update No. 7

Dear Northfield Public Schools Families:

As October winds down and the days grow shorter, I hope your family is enjoying the color and the cooler weather. Our buildings are full of energy, and I am grateful for the care students and staff show each other every day.

That energy was on full display this week. The high school choir performed their fall concert on Monday, followed by the high school orchestra concert on Tuesday. Last night, the girls volleyball team defeated Faribault/Shattuck St. Mary’s 3-0 and will play Byron next Wednesday, November 4.

Tonight, both the girls and boys cross country teams will compete in the Section IAA championships in Faribault. The girls swim and dive team will compete in the Big 9 Conference meet at home on Friday and in Rochester on Saturday, and the Raider football team will host Rochester Mayo in the section semifinals on Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. Good luck to all of our Raiders!

The Reimagine Northfield High School project continues to move forward. Above-ground work will accelerate starting around Thanksgiving. The music wing is expected to open in September 2027, with the classroom wing following in January 2028. If you would like to see the progress for yourself, the Reimagine NHS project webpage has weekly updates, parking and drop-off maps, construction camera views, and drone footage.

As I encourage you to read below, we are asking for everyone’s help to ensure our school streets, parking lots and drop off lanes remain safe for every student walking, biking, driving, or riding to school. Please also note construction traffic along Raider Drive continues, so please plan a little extra time if you are dropping off or picking up at the high school.

Thank you for your partnership and for the many ways you support our students and staff. Election Day is next Tuesday, November 3, and I encourage you to review the details in Family Update No. 6, as well as below, and make a plan to vote. As always, please reach out if I can be of help.

Sincerely,

Tim

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Tim Anderson, Ed.D.

Superintendent

tanderson@northfieldschools.org| 507-663-0629

Photo: Superintendent Anderson and board members Amy Goerwitz and Claudia Gonzalez-George stand next to one of five geothermal wells installed as part of the Reimagine Northfield High School project.

On Tuesday, voters will cast their ballots in a variety of local, state, and federal elections. At times, the rhetoric around these campaigns has become intense, and we know that the debates around many of today’s issues can quickly get emotional.

We encourage all members of our school district community to remain especially respectful and empathetic in our interactions with others. Whether you are happy with the election results or not, we ask that we all focus on maintaining a safe, supportive, and welcoming learning environment for our students. Thank you for your participation in this year’s election and for continuing to prepare every student for lifelong success.

District voters will also have the opportunity to consider a constitutional amendment that would modernize how annual distributions to the Permanent School Fund are calculated. This video provides a brief summary of the Permanent School Fund and the proposed amendment.

What is the Permanent School Fund?

Established in Minnesota’s Constitution in 1858, the fund supports public education across the state. It grows from revenue generated by state school trust lands, including timber sales, mining, and leases. The fund is invested, and a portion is distributed each year to school districts and charter schools.

How are distributions calculated today?

Under the current constitutional formula, annual distributions are generally limited to the interest and dividend income the fund earns.

What would the amendment change?

If approved, the amendment would allow the annual distribution to be calculated as 4.5% of the fund’s average value over the preceding three fiscal years, rather than being tied mainly to interest and dividends. The three-year average is designed to smooth out year-to-year market swings. Supporters of the proposal have estimated that annual distributions could increase by roughly 40%, though actual amounts would depend on how the fund performs in the future. If passed, the change would take effect July 1, 2027.

What will appear on the ballot?

The question will appear on the ballot with the following language: “Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to increase the funding going to all school districts from the permanent school fund, which is a fund that supports school districts without raising individual income or property taxes, effective July 1, 2027?”

Learn More

You can listen to former superintendents Dr. Chris Richardson and Dr. Matt Hillmann discuss the Permanent School Fund during an October 19 appearance on KYMN Radio.

You can also view the video of Superintendent Anderson’s presentation to the board, as well as the slide deck from the August 10 school board meeting.

Learn more about the Permanent School Fund amendment, including frequently asked questions, background information, and voter resources, at www.mnPSFamendment.org.

Work continues across several areas of the Reimagine Northfield High School site. Here are recent highlights:

• Construction is moving forward with concrete work on the classroom addition side and will continue for several weeks. Storm drainage is being rerouted for the music addition. Precast concrete panels will begin to be installed on the classroom addition in late November and early December. Concrete work for the music addition will start later this week, and the precast concrete panels will start to be installed in late November.
  
  

• All five geothermal wells have been drilled. The lateral piping will be connected next. Well development is ongoing: the process of well development involves flushing out each well until the water runs clear.
  
  

• Tours were given to the project oversight and core planning teams and to the Rotary Club on October 20 and 21. The Darcy Solutions team and Ryan Mechanical were there to provide an explanation of the well system.

Regular construction updates can be viewed on the Reimagine NHS webpage.