School board approves $54 million in construction and facility projects
The Woodbury School Board unanimously approved multiple construction and renovation projects totaling more than $54 million on January 21, including a new Lake Elmo Elementary School and upgrades to high school facilities. The board also discussed a potential shift toward stricter cell phone policies in schools.
The school board voted 7-0 to approve a bid package for the new Lake Elmo Elementary School construction, with 39 separate work scopes totaling $49.5 million. The project is on track to open in fall 2026 and used a "best value" bidding process that evaluates contractors on price (50%) and factors like experience and project quality.
The board also greenlit three additional facility projects at the high school and Pony Stadium. A $1.4 million athletic track replacement at Pony Stadium will begin in June after the track season ends, replacing a 20-year-old surface with a new black track meeting Minnesota High School League standards. A $564,610 press box replacement will include electrical upgrades and an improved sound system. A $2.4 million high school project combines an 8,100-square-foot main entry addition to improve safety and traffic flow with renovations including special education classroom replacements, a new art kiln with ventilation, and kitchen floor work. That project will start during spring break to be completed before the next school year.
In other business, the board unanimously approved a resolution allowing district administration to prepare for potential budget cuts due to uncertainty in state funding. Superintendent Funk noted this is an annual procedural step. The board also approved the district's 2025 legislative priorities, emphasizing the need for the state to fully fund mandated programs or repeal unfunded mandates—a message board members called "very serious and very direct" given funding challenges.
The board discussed but did not vote on a potential cell phone policy change. Feedback from students, staff, and community members revealed concerns about classroom distraction, mental health impacts, and emergency communication. While students pushed back against stricter policies, staff and parents expressed serious concerns about phone use. Most board members expressed interest in exploring a "bell-to-bell" approach—where phones would be put away from the start to end of the school day—for the policy committee to develop further.
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Other Topics from This Document
Public Comment on School Bullying and Identity Politics
Student Report
Superintendent's Legislative Update
Resolution Directing District Administration to Make Budget Reductions
Lake Elmo Elementary School Construction Bids
High School Athletic Track Rehabilitation
High School Press Box Replacement
High School Main Entry Addition and Interior Renovations
Cell Phone Policy Feedback and Discussion
2025 Legislative Priorities Approval
Also from this meeting
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