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Homework Being Done to Prepare For a <br /> New Hugo Elementary School <br /> In the upcoming November 4,2003 general elec- dance boundaries a number of times to move kids <br /> tion,residents of the White Bear Lake Area out of the Hugo attendance area to other schools <br /> School District#624 will likely be voting on the in the district." Despite these moves,the current y <br /> issuance of bonds to build a new elementary school will be beyond capacity next year. Hugo <br /> school in Hugo. The school board has been mon- City Council Member Chuck Haas,who has been <br /> itoring and studying this issue for quite some involved in the cooperative effort working on the <br /> time, and Superintendent Ted Blaesing expects ischool plan,adds, "What we have now is finan- <br /> that at their September meeting they will pass a cially inefficient and does not build community." <br /> formal resolution to place this question before the <br /> voters. If approved,the new school would open Haas points out that three key factors make the <br /> in the fall of 2006. proposed new school a cost-efficient opportunity. <br /> The first is the donation from the City of Hugo to <br /> A concept plan for the proposed new elementary the school district of the land for the school. <br /> school,prepared at the request of local developers "The City negotiated this land as part of the <br /> Len Pratt and Jim Peterson,was endorsed by the development process and is now offering the <br /> Hugo City Council in January 2002. Since then, school district a parcel worth$2.1 million," notes <br /> there has been a cooperative effort between the Haas. The second key factor is that appropriate <br /> City,the school district,the developers,and other transportation corridors already exist because <br /> interested residents and groups to work out the E long-term planning in Hugo has recognized this A series of public <br /> details and eventually bring the issue to the vot- as a school site. Finally,the roads and infrastruc- <br /> ers. Current plans call for a K-5 elementary ture surrounding the site will be paid for by the meetings will be <br /> school with a capacity of 750 students,as well as developers,offering a significant cost savings for <br /> a gymnasium,playground,and ball fields. The the school district. held by the White <br /> site is 30 acres located at the juncture of the new <br /> Waters Edge North development(Pulte Homes) Hugo Mayor Fran Miron notes that the land is not Bear lake Area <br /> and the Len Pratt development property in the only appropriate for an ordinary elementary <br /> Everton Avenue neighborhood,north of Wagner school,but for a"lifetime of learning center," a School District#624 <br /> Greenhouses. ( term coined by developer Len Pratt for the <br /> expanded nature of the facility. Miron states, "We to help residents <br /> "Our first priority is to meet the educational needs are working with Washington County on the pos- <br /> of the kids who are going to be coming to us,pri- sibility of having a library as part of this facility." learn more about <br /> marily at the elementary age in the northern part Haas anticipates that the facility could be used by <br /> of the school district," states Blaesing. all members of the community in the evenings, the proposed <br /> Demographic studies have shown that there will weekends,and during the summer. <br /> be 700 elementary school age children by the year elementary school <br /> 2006. Blaesing adds, "We also anticipate that if a A series of public meetings will be held <br /> new school is built and the current by the White Bear Lake Area plan. <br /> Hugo elementary school is reno- School District#624 to help resi- <br /> vated,both schools will be filled dents learn more about the pro- September 15, 6:30 p.m. at <br /> by the year 2011." posed elementary school plan. the Hugo Elementary School <br /> School district officials will be <br /> resent to answer questions and <br /> pSeptember 25, 6:30 m. aft <br /> Blaesing explains that the hear public comments. the o Ci Hall p <br /> school district has done g <br /> Meetings m the Hugo e teto <br /> everything it possibly can area are currently <br /> to accommodate increas- scheduled for: <br /> ing enrollments. "We've <br /> added six modular September 15,6:30 p.m. <br /> classrooms to the at the Hugo Elementary <br /> existing building," " School <br /> he states. "We've <br /> also shifted atten- September 25,6:30 p.m. <br /> at the Hugo City Hall <br />