Sleepy Eye Schools

Sleepy Eye Public Schools was the first to school in the region to open classes for the fall. All Sleepy Eye Public students are currently back in class.

The 1st-8th Grade students returned to school Monday, Aug. 18. The 9th-12th Grade students returned to class Tuesday, Aug. 19. The Kindergarten students were the last to return on Wednesday, Aug. 20.

Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s K-12 students will all return to school Tuesday, Aug. 26.

Landscaping work continues on the Elementary wing of GFW’s new K-12 building, but interior is ready take on students. GFW’s K-12 students will be the first to attend the new school Wednesday, Sept. 3. GFW students in 6-12th Grade will start class Tuesday, Sept. 2 at the Winthrop building. The Middle and High School students are expected transfer to the new building after winter break.

New Ulm Schools

The majority of New Ulm schools will reopen Tuesday, August 26 with a few exception. Minnesota Valley Lutheran (MVL) freshmen will return to school Monday, August 26. The 10th-12 Grade students will return to school Tuesday, August 26. The first day of class for St. Paul’s Lutheran School will also be Tuesday, August 26.

New Ulm Area Catholic School K-12 students will all return to class on Tuesday, August 26.

New Ulm Public Schools is implementing a staggered start to school following labor day. New Ulm Public’s 5th and 9th Grade classes will go back to school Tuesday, September 2. The two grades are both transitioning into new buildings, with 5th Grade moving to the Middle School and 9th Grade entering High School. The idea is for these grades to have a first day without the upperclass grades.

Wednesday, Sept. 3 the rest of the grades, 1st-4th Grade and 10th-12th, will return to school. New Ulm Public’s Kindergarten class will start last on Thursday, Sept. 4.

New Ulm Public School will open the first week in September with 13 new educators. Back row L to R: Jadah Borth, Jefferson Phy Ed Teacher; Megan Iverson, Jefferson Special Ed/Academic & Behavioral Strategist (ABS); Katie Auke, Jefferson Social Worker; Carlie Hedlund, Middle School LD teacher; Kailee Byrd, Jefferson 1st Grade teacher; Ameilia Becker, High School Math and Alan Longtin, High School Industrial Tech Teacher. Front row L to R: Martha Shapiro, Jefferson Special Ed/LD teacher; Lyndal Kosmatka, ABS; Amy Johnson, Washington Learning Center Social Worker; Brooklyn Froman, WLC ABS/ASD teacher; Ashley Genelin, EC/ECFE Coordinator and Molly Jackson, High School math.

Nicollet Public School

Nicollet Public School will also have a staggered school opening in September. Grades 7-12 will return to school Tuesday, September 2. Kindergarten-6th Grade will return to class Thursday, Sept. 4.

GFW

The Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop (GFW) has one of the most anticipated school openings in the region. This year, GFW will open a new K-12 school.

Previously, the district had three school buildings spread across the three communities; an elementary school in Gibbon, Middle School and High School in Winthrop. After the 2019-2020 school year the Fairfax Middle School was closed and the middle school grades were moved to the Winthrop building.

Cathedral High School student will return school for the fall semester Tuesday, Aug. 26 at the same time as the students at St. Anthony Elementary.

In April 2023, the GFW school board voted to bring all grades into a single K-12 building located in Gibbon. The Elementary wing of the new GFW school has been completed and school staff has already begun moving in the building. The Middle/High School wing of the school is expected to be completed in the winter.

GFW Middle and High School classes — 6th-12th Grade — will return to school Tuesday, Sept. 2, at Winthrop building.

Elementary students Kindergarten through 5th Grade will go back to school Wednesday, Sept. 3 at the new school in Gibbon utilizing the completed Elementary wing. The 6th-12th Grade students are expected to move into the new building after winter break.