AITKIN — Aitkin Public Schools will not build a new elementary school after its second referendum in less than six months failed Tuesday, April 14.
A narrow majority of voters, 55%, said no to $50 million bonds to replace Rippleside Elementary. Question 1 failed by 355 votes, according to unofficial results.
Ballot questions 2 and 3 for a transportation center and an additional new gym were contingent on the passage of question one. Question 2 failed by 514 votes, with 57% saying no, and Question 3 failed by 607 votes, with 59% of voters saying no.
“It was a disappointment, obviously,” Superintendent Dan Stifter said in an interview Wednesday morning. “We worked hard to get our message out and to share with the community the needs.
“ ... Today’ll be a long day for a lot of people, but just what we do in public education. We show up every day and greet our students, and we give them the best we got at any given time.”
Aitkin voters narrowly rejected plans for a new elementary school by 211 votes in November, with 53% voting no. In a bit of an unusual move, the School Board decided to go back to voters at just a few months later with a slightly scaled back request.
Stifter said part of the thought process was that all the election resources were ready to go. The district also had a $5 million grant from the Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation that expires at the end of June.
“We thought we were close. Give us five more months to work on getting our message out and sharing the need with the community, we could maybe get over the hump,” he said. “Obviously, it didn’t work. We actually lost by more votes this time around, and I think the fact that we came back out as quickly as we did might have worked against us.”
The School Board will go back to the drawing board now. Aging Rippleside Elementary’s infrastructure issues, including its roof, HVAC and windows, won’t go away. Neither will the dangerous parent pickup situation along the street.
The district has been presented with different renovation options and now it will look at them closer. School districts can levy additional taxes to fund some remodels and repairs, so if the Board goes that route, residents may still see their property taxes increase, even though the referendum failed.
Discussions will begin at the district’s facilities committee meeting Thursday.
Stifter will be retiring at the end of June. If he had to guess, Rippleside Elementary will remain for a number of years.
“It’s just where the community is at, at this point. We’re not ready to take the leap to build a new school,” he said. “We’ll go back and see what we need to do. Our challenges don’t go away.”
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Contributed/Chad KaddatzDuring the week of April 14, 2026, we enjoy reports of blooming bloodroot, Fox Sparrows, and a two-footed coyote. Staff phenologist John Latimer responds. -
Contributed/Daniella Marie via iNaturalistDuring the Phenology Report for the week of April 14, 2026, Staff Phenologist John Latimer remarks on Pileated Woodpeckers "tapping out love notes" and spring's imminent arrival. -
Contributed/Carolyn OlsonDuluth artist Carolyn Olson’s exhibit “Mutual Aid and Chosen Family” is at the MacRostie Art Center in Grand Rapids until April 25, 2026. -
Screenshot/Staples-Motley School DistrictThe district will break ground on elementary school and career and technical education additions after a nine-month design phase.
