Orientation Information:
We will start the school year off with our two options for attending an Open House. You can attend on Wednesday, August 28 from 4:00-6:00 pm or Tuesday, September 3 at either 9:00-11:00 am or 1:00-3:00 pm. Please park in the front lot. Please enter through Door 5. At the open house you will receive all the information needed for the school year, our parent handbook, how to sign up for our communication tool (Seesaw), volunteering, and more. There will also be the opportunity to meet the staff and tour the classrooms and the Fridley Community Center. If you cannot attend either open house option, please feel free to contact your child’s teacher.
Transportation Information
If you are eligible and requested transportation for the school year. Your information will be available to view on your Parent Portal account. This will be available to view August 19th.
If you have any transportation questions, please reach out to the transportation department at: 763-502-5151 or transportation@isd14.org
Referendum Information Message from Dr. Lewis Superintendent
Dear Families,
On Tuesday, June 18, 2024 the Fridley School Board approved a resolution calling for an election on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. This will include two items impacting the Fridley Public Schools and the students we serve.
While FPS is a source of pride, our district has operational and facility needs that require the attention of our entire community. We have outlined these needs and proposed solutions below.
Operational Needs
The gap between the state funding Fridley Public Schools receives and the cost of educating each student has steadily widened over the past several years. In fact, if the formula allowance from the state of Minnesota had kept pace with inflation, our district would have received an additional $3.985 million in general education aid from the state during the 2023-24 school year.
To bridge this funding gap, more than 70% of Minnesota school districts rely on revenue from operating referendums to provide basic programming and services for students.
The first question on the November 5 ballot will be a proposed operating referendum for Fridley Public Schools. This referendum would enable us to maintain stable funding and invest in programs and services. It would also limit future budget reductions over the next several years.
A voter-approved operating referendum would have a preliminary tax impact of $130 per year on a $250,000 home in our community.
Facility Needs
Fridley Public Schools has a growing list of deferred maintenance needs that we must address soon to ensure our students continue to have access to outstanding educational facilities.
It’s important to understand that a school district’s general fund covers the day-to-day operational costs of running a school district, including salaries and benefits, classroom materials, and utilities. However, our general fund has incurred significant expenses for deferred maintenance, at nearly $2 million per year.
Many of these maintenance expenses are due to wear and tear and items needing replacement, including plumbing, HVAC (heating and cooling system), and roofing. These needs have begun to exceed our dedicated funding for long-term facility maintenance, which means we have needed to use our general fund to cover the costs.
The second question on the November 5 ballot will be a proposed $30 million facility bond referendum. If approved, it would have no preliminary tax impact, as some of the District’s old bonds will be fully paid off before payments on the new bonds begin.
We are committed to providing clear and accurate information and continuing to engage our community right up to election day. We will soon launch a webpage featuring more information and answers to frequently asked questions. This will be shared with families and community members later this month.
Thank you for your support and engagement as we address these needs together. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Brenda Lewis, Ph.D.
Superintendent
