Koster said the school buildings saw a lot of small updates and improvements over the summer, but no major changes were made. Starting the tour in the New Ulm Middle School, Koster pointed out one of the smaller but important changes. Roughly 30 room signs were added to the school to include braille for the visually impaired.

Throughout the tour, Koster pointed out the different updates made to the buildings to be ADA-compliant. This includes upgrades to entrances at New Ulm High School and new ramp entrances near the New Ulm High School baseball fields. Koster said there were wheelchair accessible ramps in place near the New Ulm High School fields, but the ramps were at inconvenient locations. It was decided to create ramp access closer to the field.

One the most significant changes made to school facilities was an update to the Jefferson and Middle School parking lot. New driving and drop-off lanes have been added to the parking lot to clear up congestion during morning drop off.

Along with the driving and drop-off lanes, the entrances and exit on Garden Streets were re-signed and striped. Starting this year, the south end of the lot on the Middle School side will be the only two-way entrance and exit to the lot. The center of the lot with be entrance only and the north end of the lot will be exit only. The driving and drop-off lanes will start by the center entrance and travel counter-clockwise around the outside of the Jefferson Elementary section of the parking lot. The drop-off lane is on the outside and will allow parents to park next to the curb when dropping students off in the morning.

Starting this school year, the parking lot at Jefferson Elementary will include a driving lane and drop-off lane to alleviate congestion during morning drop-offs. The drop-off lane is on the outside and will allow parents to park next to the curb when dropping students off in the morning.

Parents who want to park their vehicles and walk their kids to the school doors are asked to park in the middle lot area, not in the drop-off lane.

Koster said part of the reason for this change is that many parents have been parking next to the curb and leaving the vehicles there to walk kids in, effectively blocking the flow of traffic.

Koster said this new lane system will take time for parents to get used to, but he has seen it work at other districts.

At Washington Learning Center, Koster showed the board the school playground. He said the asphalt was recently seal-coated, but this is unlikely to last. The plan is to remove all the asphalt and repave it next year. Koster said the track and lanes will be repainted on the new asphalt.

The tour concluded at New Ulm High School. One of the biggest changes to the school is the signage in the gymnasium.

Superintendent Sean Koster points to the center entrance of the Jefferson and Middle School parking lot. In photo (L to R:) Superintendent Sean Koster, board member Jonathan Schiro, board member Christie Dewanz, board chair Steve Gag, board member Matt Ringhofer and board member Sarah Leslie.

Earlier in the year, the school board granted naming rights for the gym to Allina Health. In exchange for the naming rights, Allina Health will provide in-kind athletic trainer services. The in-kind donation is valued at $131,835 over 10 years.

Koster showed the board the two Allina Health graphics added to the gym floor, which were completed earlier this month. Vinyl signs reading Allina Health Gym will also be added over the gym entrances.

“One graphic here, one there, two door signs, $130,000 over 10 years; that’s not a bad deal,” Koster said.

New Ulm Public School’s 2025-2026 school year starts the first week in September. The 5th Grade and 9th Grade classes will start school on Tuesday, Sept. 2.

Students in grades 1-4th and 10-12th will start school the following day on Wednesday, Sept. 3. Public’s Kindergarten class will start on Thursday, Sept. 4.

The New Ulm School board walks through the new driving and drop-off lanes added to the Jefferson and Middle School parking lot. The new lanes will start by the center entrance and travel counter-clockwise around the outside of the Jefferson Elementary section of the parking lot. The drop-off lane will be on the outside and will allow parents to park next to the curb when dropping students off in the morning. (L to R) Administrative Assistant Michelle Johnson, board chairman Steve Gag, board member Christie Dewanz, board member Matt Ringhofer and Superintendent Sean Koster.

Superintendent Sean Koster ends District 88 School Board tour in front of an under construction ramp near New Ulm High School baseball fields. Koster there is another sidewalk ramp located closer to the High School building, but it was suggested a second ramp be created closer to the fields. This improvement was one of several ADA improvements made to school facilities over the summer. (L to R) School board chairman Steve Gag, board vice-chair Jonathan Schiro, Administrative Assistant Michelle Johnson, Superintendent Sean Koster, board member Sarah Leslie and 5th Grade student Ben Leslie.