Rochester, MN (KROC AM News) – The Rochester School District is looking at a site for a possible new middle school that would serve the southwest part of the city.

The proposed plan will be presented to the City Council at its Monday study session.

The district recently reached an agreement to purchase the Hart Farm property along 40th St SW “for the purposes of constructing a new middle school, with the future intent to have it be a campus with an elementary, middle and high school. “ The site consists of 146 acres.

The district says current enrollment places the middle schools at 99% capacity. Based on projections, the District will be operating over capacity at the elementary and middle school levels in two years.

The District is preparing to run a bond referendum in the fall of 2019.

Superintendent Michael Muñoz said, “I appreciate the work that has been done by our community-led facilities task force which frames the scope of the referendum designed to meet the District’s needs. I also appreciate the flexibility and willingness to collaborate with the City so that we can achieve the best solution for our entire community.”

The district operates a middle school in the southeast, northeast and northwest quadrants of the city. Its Friedell middle school operates as a district-wide site.

The goal of the Monday meeting is to see if there is support for the proposed site.

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