Message from the Superintendent

School District 16 serves students and families from the cities of Blaine, Spring Lake Park, and Fridley. This is a great place to learn, to live, to work, and to play.

With 4,600 students, District 16 considers itself and its school community to be personal in size, extra-large in opportunity. Our mission is: �High expectations, high achievement for all. No excuses.�

We are just the right size:

We have three K-3 elementary schools (Woodcrest, Northpoint, Park Terrace), each with over 400 students, and a grades 4 & 5 intermediate school (Westwood Intermediate) with 600 students.

Westwood Middle School (Grades 6-8) has 1,000 students.

The grades 9-12 Spring Lake Park High School , with its 1,300 students, is the prefect size for teaching and learning.

Learning Alternitives Community School (a recent Minnesota Alternative Program of the Year) has over 250 learners.

In addition, the district has a highly successful online distance learning academy and The Lighthouse Program for highly-driven, highly-able students.

All staff participate in professional learning communities, assessment for learning training, and are focused and committed to ensuring the success of each and every student.

Our students are improving each day. They thrive in this environment.

A comprehensive, exciting $96 million long-range Facilities Improvement Plan was approved by our supportive community in February 2006. Renovation, and expansion of all at all sites is three-quarters completed. The entire effort will be completed by fall 2009.

The plan provides extensive, even dramatic, improvements to all of our schools. A new K-3 school, Northpoint Elementary, opened in September 2008 with over 600 excited students and their families. It is located in the high-growth area of Blaine, near Highway 242 (Main St.) and Cloud Drive.

All schools are being renovated, expanded, and improved. Each of our K-3 schools are now complete, beautiful, and equipped to serve students and families for decades to come. The Westwood complex will be fully compled by March 2009. Spring Lake Park High School will be "nearly-new" after completion of its improvements by fall 2009.

Periodically, I write a brief message to staff, parents, and the community. My comments generally are written following a meeting of the School Board and reflect the current "state of the school district." The most current of these messages are available for your review too by clicking on the buttons in the column to the left.

I am always eager to hear from district parents, residents, students, and staff. I can be reached by utilizing the comment page found on this web site or by telephone at 763-786-5570 . My mailing address is 1415 81st Avenue NE, Spring Lake Park, MN, 55432. And, my e-mail address is dhelms@district16.org.

Here's to a great school year of working together to build a better place for our children.

Sincerely,
Dr. Don Helmstetter
Superintendent of Schools