COMMUNITY-BASED PLANNING

FACT SHEET - ENGLISH
FACT SHEET - SPANISH
FACT SHEET - SOMALI

Guided by the community’s input and recommendations and the Board’s direction, these Bond Referendum priorities do more than just provide highly effective learning spaces and fiscal sustainability, they actively support the deep sense of pride and belonging that every student deserves and our community expects. 

HIGH SCHOOL CONCEPT PLANS
MIDDLE SCHOOL CONCEPT PLANS
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CONCEPT PLANS

Building a Predictable Path Forward

If passed, this question moves the district from two high schools to a single unified high school campus and reorganizes elementary and middle schools into more equitable neighborhood schools. It also redistributes district administrative and specialized programs across existing buildings to maximize space.

  • One High School: The district would consolidate its high schools. Cooper High School and New Hope Learning Center site would be heavily renovated and expanded to become a single high school serving 3,000 students.

    Armstrong High School Site Repurposed: Armstrong would no longer be a traditional high school. Instead, it would get a new main entrance and be remodeled to house several combined programs:

    • Robbinsdale Spanish Immersion (K-5)

    • Highview Alternative Learning Center (ALC)

    • Community education

    • The district’s IT and maintenance departments

  • Plymouth and Sandburg Middle Schools: Both schools will be renovated to serve 1,100 students each. Remodeling will focus on creating flexible spaces for innovation, performing arts, small-group learning, and Special Education.

    Pools:

    • The pool at Sandburg Middle School will be filled in and turned into space for physical education and Developmental Adapted Physical Education (DAPE).

    • The pool at Plymouth Middle School will be expanded to 8 lanes and deepened to make the diving well safe.

    • There is no curricular programming that uses the pools.

    • Expanding Neighborhood Schools: Four elementary schools (Zachary Lane, Meadow Lake, Northport, and Forest) will be expanded into 4-section schools (meaning four classrooms per grade level). They will also get upgrades to arts, innovation, and Special Education spaces. 

    • FAIR School Crystal: This middle school building will be completely converted into a 4-section, PreK-5th grade neighborhood elementary school.

    • SEA/Olson Elementary: Will be expanded and updated with a specific focus on accommodating PreK and Special Education classrooms. 

    • Lakeview Elementary: Will stop being a traditional elementary school and instead become the new home for the Education Service Center and the Robbinsdale Transition program (for Special Education students ages 18-21).

    • Early Childhood & Adult Academic Programs Moving: The current early learning center and adult education will move to an empty/surplus elementary school. Its current site will be turned into athletic fields for the expanded high school.

    • In addition to embedding some of district programming that leases space at Crystal Learning Center, the district would construct a storage garage on existing district property to replace the leased warehouse.

    • As the projects in Question 1 are being completed, the district would sell off all unused, surplus real estate. 

Maximizing Value: Extending the Path Forward

Question 2 is contingent on Question 1 passing. If approved, it builds directly on the improvements in Question 1 by creating specialized spaces at our middle schools, including a new performing arts space. 

  • Armstrong Site Becomes a Middle School: Instead of being used for the Robbinsdale Spanish Immersion (as proposed in Question 1), the Armstrong building would be remodeled to house an 1,100-student middle school. It would still house the Highview Alternative Learning Center, IT, and maintenance departments. 

    Plymouth Middle School is Repurposed: Plymouth would stop being a middle school entirely. Instead, it would be renovated to house:

    • The Robbinsdale Spanish Immersion (K-5) school.

    • The Robbinsdale Transition program (for Special Education students ages 18-21).

    • New elementary-appropriate playgrounds would be added to the site.

  • Sandburg Middle School Pool: In Question 1, the filled-in Sandburg pool would be a flexible space. Under Question 2, that same pool space would instead be converted into a 400-seat Theater in the Round performing arts space, similar in size to the FAIR School Crystal auditorium.

New Elementary School

Question 3 is contingent on Questions 1 and 2 passing. If this question is approved, the district would build a new elementary school at the Robbinsdale Middle School site. Additionally, the district would determine the best location for district-wide services and programming.

Proposed Timeline

If voters approve the 2026 bond referendum, Robbinsdale Area Schools (Rdale) would begin a multi-year process of planning, construction and renovations. Projects would be completed in phases, with the new unified high school anticipated to open in fall 2030.

  • The proposed Building Better Together plan would bring changes to schools and facilities across Robbinsdale Area Schools (Rdale). Some buildings would be renovated or expanded, while others would take on new purposes to better serve students, staff and the community, or sold.

    Here's a school-by-school look at the proposed changes:

    High schools:

    • Armstrong High School (AHS) site: Would be repurposed to house district educational programs, including Robbinsdale Spanish Immersion (RSI) and Robbinsdale Academy-Highview and Robbinsdale Virtual Academy (RVA), under Question 1. If Question 2 is approved, Armstrong would become a the new home of Plymouth Middle School (PMS). The transition for both outcomes is anticipated for the 2030-31 school year (four school years from now).

    • Cooper High School/New Hope Learning Center site: Would be expanded and renovated to become the district's unified high school, anticipated to open for the 2030-31 school year (four school years from now), with remaining work completed by fall 2031. Athletic field improvements are anticipated to be completed during 2027-28. The unified high school would get a new name and identity.

    Middle schools:

    • Sandburg Middle School (SMS): Under Question 1, Sandburg would be renovated to serve approximately 1,100 students, with improvements focused on flexible spaces for innovation, performing arts, small-group learning and Special Education. The existing swimming pool would be filled in and converted into flexible space for physical education and Developmental Adapted Physical Education (DAPE). If Question 2 is also approved, the former pool space would instead become a 400-seat Theater in the Round performing arts venue, similar in size to the FAIR School Crystal auditorium. Project completion time is to be determined.

    • Plymouth Middle School (PMS): Under Question 1, PMS would be renovated to serve approximately 1,100 middle school students, with flexible spaces for innovation, performing arts, small-group learning and Special Education. Additionally, the pool at PMS would be upgraded to a full competition pool for high school athletes, including two additional lanes and a deeper diving well. If Question 2 is also approved, PMS would instead be repurposed to house Robbinsdale Spanish Immersion (RSI) and the Robbinsdale Transition Center (RTC) program for Special Education students ages 18–21. Program relocations are anticipated for fall 2030. Program moves are anticipated for the 2030-31 school year (four school years from now).

    Elementary schools:

    • FAIR Pilgrim Lane: Magnet programming would be integrated into neighborhood elementary schools, with the building anticipated to close at the end of the 2028–29 school year (three school years from now) as part of the district's elementary school consolidation plan. The building would considered for repurposing to house district programs or sold.

    • Forest Elementary: Facility renovations and improvements would begin as early as the 2027-28 school year, with work anticipated to be completed during the 2028–29 school year.

    • Lakeview: Under Questions 1 and 2, Lakeview would close as an elementary school and be repurposed to consolidate district administrative offices and educational programs. Consolidation is anticipated at the end of the 2028–29 school year (three school years from now) as part of the district's elementary school consolidation plan. If Question 3 is also approved, the building would considered for repurposing to house district programs or sold.

    • FAIR Crystal (current ESC and Highview location): If Questions 1 and 2 are approved, the building would be completely converted into a four-section, PreK–5 neighborhood elementary school. If Question 3 is also approved, the building would instead be considered for repurposing to house district programs or sold.

    • Meadow Lake Elementary: Facility renovations and improvements would begin as early as the 2027-28 school year, with work anticipated to be completed during the 2028–29 school year.

    • Neill Elementary: Under all scenarios, Neill would close as an elementary school. Consolidation is anticipated at the end of the 2028-29 school year as part of the district's elementary school consolidation plan. The building would considered for repurposing to house district programs or sold.

    • Northport Elementary: Facility renovations and improvements would begin as early as the 2027-28 school year, with work anticipated to be completed during the 2028–29 school year.

    • Robbinsdale Spanish Immersion (RSI): Would relocate to Armstrong under Question 1. If Question 2 is also approved, RSI would instead move to a renovated Plymouth Middle School (PMS) building. Program moves are anticipated for the 2030-31 school year (four school years from now). The Sunny Hallow building RSI now occupies would be considered for repurposing to house district programs or sold.

    • School of Engineering and Arts (SEA): Magnet programming would end following the 2028-29 school year (three school years from now) as arts and innovation opportunities would be expanded across neighborhood elementary schools as part of the district's long-term educational vision. SEA would convert into a neighborhood elementary school. Facility renovations and improvements would begin as early as the 2027-28 school year, with work anticipated to be completed during the 2028–29 school year.

    • Zachary Lane Elementary: Facility renovations and improvements would begin as early as the 2027-28 school year, with work anticipated to be completed during the 2028–29 school year.

    • New elementary school (Question 3): Would be constructed on the former Robbinsdale Middle School site if Questions 1, 2 and 3 are approved, supporting the district's new neighborhood elementary school configuration.

    Other programs:

    • New Hope Learning Center: Early Learning programming would be relocated as part of the first phase of the plan, anticipated during the 2026-27 school year, to prepare for construction of the unified high school campus. The location is to be determined.

    • Robbinsdale Transition Center (RTC): Under Question 1, the RTC, which serves Special Education students ages 18–21, would relocate to Lakeview. If Question 2 is also approved, the program would instead move to a renovated Plymouth Middle School (PMS) building alongside Robbinsdale Spanish Immersion (RSI). Program moves are anticipated for the 2030-31 school year (four school years from now).

    • Warehouse: Under Question 1, the district would construct a new storage garage on existing district-owned property to replace its leased warehouse, reducing the need for leased space.

    • Bus Garage: Transportation facilities would be addressed as part of district operational improvements, but for now the Bus Garage is slated to remain at its current location.

    • Crystal Learning Center (Community Education): Under Question 1, district programs currently housed in leased space at Crystal Learning Center, including Community Education and the Adult Academic Program (AAP), would be relocated into existing district-owned facilities as part of the district's facility consolidation plan.

    Summary of sites to be sold/repurposed following Statutory Operating Debt (SOD) building reductions and consolidations and referendum approval. If Question 1 (or 2 and 3) are approved, one of these sites would likely be repurposed to become the new home of the district’s Early Learning programs with New Hope Learning Center being closed, and another site would likely be repurposed to become the new home of the district Educational Service Center (ESC) and Community Education program:

    • SOD (3): Sonnesyn Elementary School, Noble Elementary School, Educational Service Center (ESC) Winnetka Avenue location.

    • Question 1 (4): FAIR Pilgrim Lane, Neill Elementary School, Lakeview Elementary School, RSI’s Sunny Hallow location

    • Question 2: Not applicable

    • Question 3 (1): FAIR School Crystal

    • Question 3 is not approved (1): Robbinsdale Middle School location

Remagine Rdale: Vision 2030

In January 2025, the district launched Reimagine Rdale: Vision 2030. Vision 2030 provided a roadmap for aligning facilities, programs, and resources with today's enrollment, educational priorities, and the district's long-term vision for student success. The Vision 2030 Team presented their findings and recommendations to the Board of Education in September, 2025, leading the Board to direct the administration to operationalize the vision. This referendum is the direct next step in the community-driven, board-directed plan.