Robbinsdale City Council on Possible School Closures: ‘We’re Losing a Part of Our Soul’
Robbinsdale City Council members heard from Robbinsdale School District Superintendent Teri Staloch on recommendations for school closures at their meeting this week. The superintendent’s presentation offered a painful realization: Robbinsdale could lose both its schools to closure.
“I don’t want you to think we’re leading without empathy,” said Staloch, who took over as superintendent in 2024 as the district faced a budget crisis.
The Robbinsdale School District is expected to close two elementary schools and one middle school. The closures are part of a state-mandated plan to get the district out of statutory operating debt.
The district reduced its budget last school year by about $16 million, but still has an $11 million deficit. Officials said the district must trim at least $8 million to get out of statutory operating debt, defined as having a deficit that exceeds 2.5 percent of annual operating expenses.
A 37-member “Vision 2030” team composed of students, parents, staff, alumni and community members made recommendations for a five-phase plan to better the school district long term. Staloch emphasized the district is only at the beginning of phase one.
“We got a long road ahead of us,” said Staloch. “It’s going to be a difficult road and in some ways a road that is full of opportunity and potential.”
School Closure Recommendations
District staff members have recommended closing Robbinsdale Middle School and Sonnesyn Elementary School in New Hope. The Education Services Center building, the district’s headquarters in New Hope, would also close. Lakeview Elementary in Robbinsdale would be repurposed as a central district campus for programming and administrative offices, according to the staff recommendation.
In addition to Sonnesyn and Lakeview, Neill Elementary in Crystal and Noble Elementary in Golden Valley are the other elementary schools considered for closure or repurposing. Closing schools would save the district about $2.5 million.
District officials cited declining enrollment as a key factor in closing schools. Staloch said Robbinsdale Area Schools experienced the largest decline for school-aged children among metro area districts from 2020 to 2023 — a total of 858 students.
Robbinsdale Superintendent Teri Staloch speaks before the Robbinsdale City Council at the Dec. 2 meeting.
‘Losing a Part of Our Soul’
At its meeting Dec. 2, Robbinsdale City Council members raised concerns about losing both its middle school and elementary school.
“We are feeling in Robbinsdale that we’re losing a part of our soul,” said Robbinsdale Mayor Bradley Sutton. “This is detrimental to Robbinsdale. This hurts our community.”
Robbinsdale City Council member Mia Parisian asked how Lakeview could be preserved.
Staloch said Lakeview is the smallest in building size, about half the size of two other elementary school buildings up for closure consideration, and sits on the smallest parcel of land.
“It doesn’t mean it’s less important. It doesn’t mean we’re trying to do something to negatively impact Robbinsdale at all,” said Staloch. “We are in statutory operating debt having to make very, very difficult decisions.”
The district leader said it’s ultimately up to the school board to make the decision.
Dec. 15 Vote Looming
City council members also expressed concern that the decision feels “rushed.”
“There is a perception, and I guess I agree with that from residents, it does feel very rushed and to that point, even as a city council, we haven’t really had a lot of time to come up with a response,” said Robbinsdale City Council Member Jason Greenberg.
The district must submit plans for getting out of statutory operating debt to the Minnesota Department of Education by the end of January.
Staloch acknowledged council member concerns.
“I don’t want you to think we’re leading without empathy,” said Staloch.
However, the superintendent also said the current plan might not be much different if there was more time, considering the location, size and age of every school building.
“I’m also certain, even if we spent the last year on this conversation, I don’t know honestly if it would be that different right now,” Staloch said.
The Robbinsdale Area School Board is expected to hold a public hearing and vote on closures at its Dec. 15 meeting. Board members held a more than three-hour long study session to discuss closure plans on Nov. 24.
Related: ‘Difficult Decisions’: Robbinsdale Schools Looks to Close Two Elementary Schools
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