Forest Lake board approves timeline, hires TeamWorks to design elementary boundary options for 2026–27

The Forest Lake Area Schools Board of Education on Jan. 16 approved a timeline and a guiding‑change document to begin designing elementary school attendance‑area adjustments that would take effect in the 2026–27 school year.

Superintendent Dr. Massey introduced Dr. Heather Mueller of TeamWorks, the consultant the district engaged to run a data‑driven boundary study. "Anytime you have a conversation about boundaries, it can be a touchy conversation," Mueller said. "One of the things TeamWorks really prides itself in first and foremost is that we are data driven and we are transparent." The board approved the plan by voice vote after a motion, with no recorded opposition.

The school district said the boundary work is necessary because housing and enrollment patterns have changed since the last major boundary review. The study will use school and public data — including local land‑use, housing development, birth rates, and historical enrollment — to build maps and enrollment projections. A district presentation said the design team (district administrators and staff) will draft boundary concepts and the community input team (parents and staff representatives) will review concepts and provide structured feedback.

Dr. Massey said the district had already provided data to TeamWorks and that the design team will work through April. He proposed a mid‑February work session to present the consultant’s enrollment and housing analysis and set March dates for community input team meetings. A final proposal is scheduled to be brought to the board on May 1; any adopted plan would start in the 2026–27 school year to give families time to prepare.

Board members asked about membership of the community input team and public outreach. Member Haglund said he preferred that the community input team include more non‑district parents and fewer current board members or staff so the committee can offer outside perspective. Mueller said the input team should include representatives from every school and communities affected and that staff involvement can be useful to avoid creating a process “that feels as though it lacked transparency.” Member Castle and others pressed for clear, proactive communications so families who lack online access are aware of the study; Dr. Massey said the district will post materials on the district website, send messages through the district’s Blackboard/FinalSite communications system and coordinate school‑level outreach.

Board members and the superintendent emphasized a few constraints the design team will follow: avoid short‑term fixes that create repeated instability for families, aim for balanced enrollment and resources across elementary schools, and complete the work within current budgetary resources. The district listed the six neighborhood elementary schools affected: Forest Lake, Columbus, Winona Lakes, Lynnwood, Skandia and Wyoming.

The board approved administration’s recommendation to adopt the timeline and guiding‑change document. Dr. Massey said weekly updates will be provided to the board and the public as work proceeds.

Why it matters: The study is a multi‑month effort that will determine which elementary schools students attend and how resources are balanced across buildings. The board set a schedule that aims for final board consideration in May 2025 and an implementation date for the 2026–27 school year to limit disruption and give families time to prepare.