frequently asked questions

Questions about our Challenges:

  • Rippleside Elementary has served our community for nearly 70 years. After decades of use, the building is worn out and beyond affordable repairs. Deteriorating infrastructure and lack of space are failing students and limiting educational opportunities. Challenges include:

    • Small, Limited Classrooms: Small classrooms make it hard for students to work together, do hands-on activities, and learn in small groups.

    • Safety and Security Risks: Lack of secured entrances, walkways, and building areas that aren’t handicap accessible, and crowded drop-off areas are safety concerns for students and staff.

    • Lack of Space for Student Support: There isn’t enough room to give students the special education and mental health help they need. 

    • Health Concerns: Poor air quality, inconsistent temperatures, and asbestos exposure create health concerns that distract from learning.

    • Small, Crowded Gyms: The main gym is too small, and the other gym is also used as a lunchroom, limiting space for classes, activities, and storing equipment. 

    • Hazardous Bus Garage: The outdated school bus garage is located off-site and near the railroad tracks, making daily transportation risky and inefficient.

  • Our district receives limited funding for building maintenance and improvements each year. Our maintenance staff has done an excellent job of maximizing this budget, but the reality is that many of Rippleside Elementary’s biggest challenges are beyond affordable repairs. For example, replacing the roof would amount to roughly five times our annual maintenance budget.

  • While fewer students go to school in Aitkin now, the way kids learn has changed a lot since Rippleside Elementary was built almost 70 years ago.

    The classrooms at Rippleside are too small for the kind of learning students do today, like hands-on projects, working in small groups, using technology, and getting more one-on-one help from teachers. The new school would have the right kind of spaces to fit these learning needs, giving students the room and tools to do their best.

    Further, an independent demographic study shows that Aitkin’s enrollment will level out at about 60 students per grade in about five years.

  • Rippleside Elementary is nearly 70 years old and has significant infrastructure problems, including outdated classrooms, poor air quality, unreliable heating systems, and ongoing water and asbestos issues. 

    The district has invested in upkeep for years, but many of the building’s issues are beyond affordable repairs. After evaluating all options, the district determined that building a new school is the most effective, long-term investment for students, staff, and taxpayers.

Questions about the plan:

  • On Tuesday, November 4, voters in the Aitkin School District will consider a two-question bond referendum:

    • Question One asks voters to consider a $59.44 million investment to replace the nearly 70-year-old Rippleside Elementary with a new PreK-6 school building, including a new transportation center to replace the existing bus garage. 

    • Question Two asks voters to consider a $6 million investment in a new community wellness center attached to the new elementary school. Question Two can only pass if voters also approve Question One.

    For more information on the plan, visit the Plan page.

  • Since 2016, the district has assessed our facilities’ needs through a detailed planning process. This work has included purchasing land to prepare for future space needs and forming a Community Task Force to evaluate our buildings from 2018-2019. In 2024, the district finished a thorough facilities assessment that looked at building conditions, prioritized repairs and upgrades, and planned future investments. As part of this process, we held 14 listening sessions, asked all residents to participate in an online ThoughtExchange survey, and met with government, community, and business partners. Through this work, the district identified Rippleside Elementary as the most urgent priority.

    For more information on the process, visit the Process page.

  • A new PreK-6 elementary school will provide a safe, healthy, more efficient place to learn, including:

    • Better Classrooms and Student Support: New classrooms will be the right size for learning. They’ll have space for hands-on projects, small group work, and lessons that fit each student’s needs. Special education rooms will offer stronger support for students who need it. The new media center will be a flexible space for reading, research, and group work.

    • Safer Spaces for Young Students: A secure entrance and front office will ensure that only approved visitors can enter. Parents and buses will have separate drop-off zones to help traffic move more safely and smoothly.

    • Easier Access for Students with Disabilities: The school will meet ADA standards, with accessible doors, classrooms, and restrooms. This will make it easier for all students, staff, and visitors to move around the building.

    • Healthier Classrooms and Hallways: New plumbing and drainage will stop leaks and water damage. This will help keep classrooms and hallways clean and safe for students to learn and grow.

    • Energy Efficiency: Upgraded heating and cooling systems, windows, and doors will make the building more comfortable and save money on energy costs by using less power.

    Retrofitting old buildings is a tough and expensive task that can disrupt education during the construction process. That's why the district is planning a long-term solution that will benefit our children and community for years.

  • Our high school building is also aging and in need of investment. However, the cost of repairing or replacing both schools would create too large a tax impact for our community. That’s why the district is focusing on our most urgent need: replacing the nearly 70-year-old Rippleside Elementary building, which has many issues that are beyond affordable repairs.

  • The district is continuing to assess and address the high school’s needs as part of our ongoing maintenance and improvement efforts. One of our current priorities is evaluating the HVAC system to ensure it remains reliable and efficient. If we move forward with building a new elementary school, it would allow us to redirect more maintenance funds toward the high school.

  • The challenges at Rippleside Elementary are not going away. The district does not have enough money to fix and update the nearly 70-year-old building on top of ongoing maintenance costs that continue to rise over time. 

    We work hard to keep up with the needs of our aging school building, but we’re just one step away from a major emergency that could disrupt student learning and school operations, like a broken boiler in the middle of winter or a plumbing failure. These emergency repairs cost more and make it hard to plan and budget facilities maintenance for both of our school buildings. Without a long-term solution, the district and school board will keep focusing on fixing the most urgent problems, using more of our budget to react to problems instead of preventing them.

  • In Minnesota, voters decide whether school districts can increase property taxes to pay for bonds to renovate and construct school buildings. Like a loan on a car or a mortgage on a house, the bonds are repaid over time plus interest.

  • Yes. In the last 10 years, voters in 225 Minnesota school districts have approved building bond referenda to finance construction projects.

  • Great schools benefit our community and those who call it home. They help attract families, support local businesses, and strengthen the quality of life in our area. A modern elementary school would make Aitkin more appealing to new residents and families, bring in jobs during construction, and open the door for future housing and economic growth. 

    For 150 years, Aitkin Public Schools have been a source of opportunity and pride. This proposed plan focuses on our most urgent need—a new PreK-6 elementary school—to ensure our schools continue supporting Aitkin’s future. It would also add a community wellness center to provide a new space for recreation, activities, and gathering year-round for residents of all ages.

  • Facilities assessments and community input have shown that a new school is a strong long-term option for the district. Waiting to move forward could make the project more expensive due to inflation and rising interest rates, leading to higher costs for local taxpayers over time.

  • In 2018, a community task force recommended a long-range plan to bring all school facilities to one campus. Since then, we have listened to our community and their desire for a more connected school community. As a district, our long-term vision is to bring all PreK–12 students and facilities together on a single, unified campus. But we also recognize the cost to make that vision a reality. That is why we are choosing an incremental approach with an emphasis on the most urgent need: a new PreK-6 elementary school. If voters approve the November 2025 referendum, the new PreK–6 elementary school would be the first major step in making a unified school campus a reality.

    The district already owns land for a future unified campus and has secured IRRRB grant funding to support critical infrastructure work. While future phases to consolidate other school buildings and athletic fields are not yet scheduled or funded, we will continue to engage our community in long-term facilities planning for our schools. 

    This vision will take time. With each step, we’re building a stronger foundation for Aitkin’s students, community, and future.

Questions about the cost:

  • The total cost for the proposed plan is $65.44 million. It will be presented to voters as two questions. Question 1 would invest $59.44 million to build a new PreK-6 school to replace Rippleside Elementary on district-owned land, and build a transportation center near the new school. Question 2 would invest $6 million to build a community wellness center attached to the new school. If voters approve the plan, funding will come from a property tax levy beginning in 2026.

  • Estimated costs of a proposed building plan are based on the project scope, square footage, student enrollment, furnishings and equipment, regulatory compliance, local labor and construction market conditions, and contingency planning.

  • If voters approve the referendum, the monthly tax increase for a home valued at $175,000 is estimated to be approximately $17 for Question 1 and $2 for Question 2, or $19 per month if both questions are approved. For a $300,000 home, the monthly increase would be about $34 for Question 1 and $4 for Question 2, or $38 per month if both questions are approved. To estimate your specific tax impact, use our tax calculator. Learn more about the cost of the project on the Cost page.

  • Yes. As part of the district’s planning process, we are actively exploring other funding sources to help offset costs and reduce the impact on property owners. In May, the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB) awarded the district $5 million to support the infrastructure of a new school, reducing the cost of the project to $65.44 million. This grant is a significant step forward in our ongoing efforts to ensure our plan is both fiscally responsible and responsive to the long-term needs of our students, staff, and community. It also shows that this project matters to our region.

    We have also engaged with local lawmakers and city and county officials to discuss funding sources for infrastructure needs. This will continue to be our priority as we work toward the best, most cost-effective plan for our schools and community.

  • Minnesota offers several tax credits and deferrals that can reduce the tax impact of a referendum, such as the Minnesota Homestead Credit Refund, Special Property Tax Refund, and the Senior Citizen Property Tax Deferral. Learn more here.

  • To reduce the impact of a bond referendum on owners of farmland, Minnesota’s Ag2School tax credit offers a 70% tax credit to all agricultural property except the house, garage, and one acre surrounding the agricultural homestead. This is not a tax deduction – it is an automatic dollar-for-dollar credit, with no application required.

Questions about Design/Construction:

  • If voters approve the referendum, the district would move into the design phase through the fall of 2026. The design phase would include input from staff, parents, and residents. Construction would likely begin in spring of 2027, with project completion estimated before the start of the 2028/2029 school year.

  • The district has worked closely with ICS, a consulting firm experienced in school construction, to estimate the project cost. The district will continue to work with ICS throughout the construction process to ensure the project remains on time and on budget.

Questions about VOTING:

  • Election Day is Tuesday, November 4. Early voting will begin on Friday, September 19, and be available through Monday, November 3. Learn more on the Voting page.

  • Yes, the sample ballot can be viewed here.

  • Yes. Residents can vote early in person from Friday, September 19, to Monday, November 3, at the Aitkin County or Crow Wing County Elections Office. Residents can also vote early by mail. Learn more about early voting on the Voting page.

  • Residents can explore this website to learn more about the referendum. Please use the Connect page to send questions or feedback to the district.