In short, our school requires critical facility updates that extend beyond our annual maintenance budget, including building systems, accessibility, safety, and security. Our school is currently heated with a single steam boiler that is far beyond its useful life, the older portion of our facility has limited or no ventilation, and does not meet proper ventilation rates, and the current temperature controls are inadequate.

The facility’s plumbing systems are original and inadequate, and many bathrooms do not have proper handicap accessibility. We lack an appropriate number of restrooms, particularly in the three-story portion of our facility, making it difficult for students to use the bathroom during pass times. In addition, the existing locker rooms need updates.

We currently lack a dedicated, secure entrance into our school, and the district office is currently located on the second floor of the facility and needs to be relocated for adequate supervision and monitoring.

Our school needs improved and additional space to best support our students. Our school, originally constructed in 1910, has either been renovated or space has been added a total of seven times.

We’ve done our best to use the space we have in our school, but areas not originally intended to serve as learning spaces are being used.

Several classrooms and areas are undersized and do not meet the Minnesota Department of Education’s standards, our school’s current shop area is only large enough to provide programming for woodwork, and our existing gymnasiums are undersized and unsafe for physical education classes and athletics.

Learn more about our needs here.

Between 2000 and 2020, the Goodridge population grew by 10%. Based on the assessments completed, our enrollment is projected to increase an additional 4.9% over the next ten years, and we need to have adequate space to support those students. In addition, our curriculum has expanded since our building was originally built. Both of these factors combined drive our district’s need for additional space.

Yes. Our district and facility staff have done a great job keeping our facility maintained, and have been able to make improvements as dollars allow. These projects include replacing windows, flooring, and lights, and completing proper tuckpointing/brickwork on the school’s exterior.

However, several facility needs extend beyond our annual maintenance budgets allocated from the State of Minnesota.

Asking for voter-approved dollars is common across the state — more than 75% of Minnesota school districts have leveraged bond referendums to improve the conditions of their facilities. The physical needs of our school will continue to worsen the longer we wait to address them.

At Goodridge Public School, we pride ourselves on providing opportunities where students can grow and thrive while maintaining small class sizes.

Enrollment growth continues to increase from district residents. Yes, we have seen growth in the number of families that choose to open enroll their children in Goodridge Public School. For example, through open enrollment in 2021-2022, Goodridge gained 115 students and lost 28 students, for a net gain of 87 students — most from Thief River Falls.

However, we have been able to add valuable programs and services from the funding that these students provide. These programs and services, such as mental health, student support, Special Education, targeted IEP services, counselors, interventionists, safety and security, and more, benefit all students in our district — both resident students and open enrollment students. Funds from open enrollment also help us to maintain manageable class sizes and keep our current technology needs updated.

In addition, how education is taught and the spaces in which it’s taught has drastically changed since our school was originally built over 100 years ago. Even 50 years ago, education looked much different than it does today.

In Goodridge Public School, we follow the MN Department of Education’s guidelines and timelines when it comes to open enrollment

In our current building, we have two gymnasiums — our new gymnasium (built in 1965) and our old gymnasium (built in 1937). These spaces no longer meet our district’s needs for physical education, athletics, and other activities.

Our new gymnasium, the larger of the two spaces, is approximately 5,860 square feet and is 58 years old. The MN Department of Education’s (MDE) educational adequacy guidelines recommend approximately 12,000 square feet to 14,000 square feet for an appropriately-sized high school gymnasium. The current space does not have a curtain divider or separator that is needed for physical education classes, it lacks cross-court capabilities and only has two basketball hoops, the existing concrete bleachers do not retract to provide additional space, and players sit in the same bleachers as spectators during games.

The old gymnasium is approximately 2,792 square feet and is 86 years old. The MDE’s educational adequacy guidelines recommend approximately 6,000 square feet to 8,000 square feet for an appropriately-sized elementary school gymnasium. The limited space does not meet our needs for elementary physical education, games, and practices.

To compare, the space of our new gymnasium that serves our high school students does not meet the MDE’s recommended guidelines for an appropriately-sized elementary school gymnasium.

If voters approve the proposed bond referendum, a full-sized gymnasium addition would be built to support physical education classes, athletics, and other activities. This space will include a full-size basketball court running north and south with retractable bleachers on both sides of the court and two junior high-sized cross courts running east and west. The new space would also include a commons area with a concessions stand, locker rooms, and a new weight room with community access. The gymnasium addition would meet our district’s needs both now and into the future for students, staff, and the community.

In addition, the old gymnasium would be converted to serve as office/administrative space.