Message from Dr. Staloch: update on school leadership transitions and budget planning

Dear Robbinsdale Area Schools (Rdale) families,

I want to begin with deep appreciation. Thank you to our educators and staff, families and community for the compassion and dedication you bring to our students each and every day. I also want to acknowledge the very real difficulty of this moment. Change and uncertainty are never easy, and I recognize the weight they carry—both professionally and personally.

As we move into the final stretch of the school year, I want to share several important updates related to school leadership transitions and staffing, and our continued efforts to address the district’s ongoing budget challenges. My goal is to offer as much clarity as possible as we move through this work together.

We are facing a significant budget shortfall—approximately $21 million for the 2025–26 school year—which is impacting every part of our district. In an effort to address the budget shortfall, reduction decisions are being made and these decisions are difficult. They are also necessary steps to ensure long-term sustainability while remaining focused on what matters most: serving students and supporting learning.

As superintendent, I am committed to leading with honesty, transparency, and care. We are making decisions for next year knowing there will likely be a reduction in the number of schools we operate in the years to come. My goal is to ensure strong school leadership and to avoid hiring leaders now only to have to reduce them next year. That’s not fair to the individuals, our teams, or our students and families.

Principal Transitions

I want to provide some certainty around next year’s school leadership assignments. These transitions have already been communicated directly with the school communities involved:

• Jen Smith, current principal at Neill Elementary, will become principal at FAIR School Pilgrim Lane beginning July 1.
• Lana Lindeman, assistant principal at Neill, will step into the role of interim principal at Neill for the 2025–26 school year.
• Lisa Barnholdt, principal at Northport Elementary, will be leaving Rdale on June 30 to pursue a new professional opportunity.
• Bridget Dooley, currently serving as interim principal at FAIR School Pilgrim Lane, will transition to interim principal at Northport for the 2025–26 school year.

These transitions reflect both a commitment to retaining strong leaders and creating opportunities for growth across the district. We are fortunate to have talented, student-centered educators who continue to step up and serve where they are most needed.

Assistant Principal Transitions and Reductions

In addition to principal transitions, we are also making adjustments to assistant principal roles across the district. These changes reflect our continued effort to align leadership with school needs while providing opportunities for growth. The following transitions will take place for the 2025–26 school year:

• Emily James, currently at Zachary Lane, will move to Neill
• Michelle Azure, currently at Sonnesyn, will move to Meadow Lake
• Shalinda Sharrod, currently at Noble, will move to Sonnesyn
• Jennifer Holtgrewe, currently at FAIR School Crystal, will move to Cooper High School
• Mike Bury, currently at Plymouth Middle School, will move to Robbinsdale Academy–Highview

As part of this realignment and the overall budget reduction process, three assistant principal positions are being reduced districtwide.

Education Service Center (ESC) Reductions

As part of our effort to meet budget reduction targets, we are restructuring departments and reducing staff at the ESC. Last week, we notified more than two dozen individuals that their current positions are being eliminated as we realign priorities and teams to better support the district’s evolving needs.

These difficult decisions affect people who have served our district for years and that we care about. In total, we are making about $2 million in reductions, or approximately 17% of the ESC staffing budget. Combined with the reductions made last year, the ESC faces a two-year reduction of over 30%. The reductions this year include:

• 2.00 FTE (Full Time Equivalency) Executive Directors
• 8.86 FTE Program Directors
• 1.50 FTE Program Assistants
• 5.00 FTE Teachers on Special Assignment (TOSAs)
• 1.00 FTE AFSCME (office employee)

While reductions are necessary, we are also seeking efficiencies and are creating a few newly structured positions with updated job descriptions designed to support our schools in more effective and sustainable ways. These roles reflect our ongoing efforts to evaluate how we can best serve the needs of our students, staff, and district—especially in a time of change.

School Staffing Reductions

We are in the process of finalizing staffing across all schools for next year, and I want to be transparent about the scope of the changes ahead. A total of 182 certified staff across the district are affected. It’s important to understand that not all of these are the result of budget reductions—many reflect routine, annual staffing changes due to enrollment changes, licensure, program shifts, or non-renewals unrelated to budget.

That said, we estimate a $13–$15 million reduction in school-based staffing. These reductions are incredibly difficult—and they are not made lightly. We know each position represents a person, a team, and a meaningful connection to our schools, students, staff and families.

Several factors have contributed to this moment, including continued enrollment declines and reductions that were not realized in last year’s budget. As a result, school leaders received fewer staff allocations in order to align with our financial reality.

These changes do not reflect the value or dedication of our staff. They reflect the responsibility we hold to ensure that limited resources are allocated in ways that protect student learning and classroom support, while helping our district remain sustainable into the future.

I know this news brings sadness, uncertainty and concern. We are committed to open communication and will share additional details about the positions impacted by budget reductions in the coming weeks. I’m grateful for our staff’s continued care, resilience, and unwavering commitment to our students and to each other.

Looking Ahead

We remain focused on advancing student success and equitable opportunities as we make difficult decisions. This includes continuing our review of programs, transportation, walk zones and bell times, student services, and our overall organizational structure to ensure we are aligning our resources with our values and gaining efficiencies.

To those impacted by staffing reductions due to our budget deficit, your contributions have made a meaningful difference in the lives of our students and families. Your work matters and you are appreciated. Thank you.

My promise to the district remains: transparent communication, thoughtful leadership, and a focus on supporting our students, staff, families and community through these challenges.

The changes we are experiencing are difficult, but I am confident in our collective strength—and our ability to move forward together as we maintain our focus on our mission which is “to inspire and educate all learners to develop their unique potential and positively contribute to their community.” Thank you for your role in making this come to life for our students.

Be well,

Teri

Dr. Teri Staloch
Superintendent
Robbinsdale Area Schools