Residents on the northern edge of Albertville have been gathering information and lobbying for years to become part of the St. Michael-Albertville school district, or even to have a transportation option to and from STMA schools. Superintendent Dr. Ann-Marie Foucault announced at the March 6 board meeting that the district has been working on both of those issues, and they will be discussed at the upcoming Monday, March 20 school board meeting.
Monday evening’s agenda contains two items that center on families who open enroll into STMA schools. Under old business, the agenda shows that Foucault will provide an update on the district boundary change issue. Under new business, there is an action item on the agenda regarding transportation for open enrolled students.
“I will ask the board to consider offering transportation in targeted geographic areas in or near the City of Albertville to K-12 students open enrolled from the Elk River District,” Foucault explained in an email to North Wright County Today. “It will be fee-based so will be paid for by open enrollees.”
Residents of the Towne Lakes and Hunter’s Pass neighborhoods made a strong effort last school year to push for a school district boundary change so that all of Albertville could be part of the STMA district. The STMA school district agreed to be part of a working group with ISD 728, also known as the Elk River school district, to discuss the possibility of a residential land swap arrangement. However, that effort was sidelined when the Elk River district found out their superintendent planned to resign, and their school board decided to table the working group idea until further notice.
However, Superintendent Dr. Ann-Marie Foucault said at the last board meeting that the Elk River district’s interim superintendent reached out to her on the issue recently, and that she planned to meet with him on March 7.
“We actually have 527 students that are open enrolled from the Elk River School District, and the majority come from that Towne Lakes/Hunter’s Pass and surrounding area,” Foucault said. “And of that 527, I think it’s 397 of those kids have a 55301 zip code.”
The meeting will take place at 7 p.m. in the Middle School West board room.