Elementary Grade-Level Transition

We are actively preparing for a smooth and successful transition with a focus on:

• Student Experience
  • Equitable class sizes across grade levels
  • Strong academic, social, and emotional supports
  • Smooth transitions between grade bands and into middle school
• Staffing & Programming
  • Efficient and sustainable staffing models
  • Increased teacher collaboration within grade-level teams
  • Coordinated delivery of services (intervention, special education, multilingual supports)
• Operations & Logistics
  • Finalizing transportation routes and procedures
  • Preparing building schedules and daily routines
  • Coordinating classroom moves and materials
• Family & Community Communication
  • Ongoing updates shared regularly
  • Clear guidance on what changes mean for families
  • Opportunities for questions and feedback

With the start of the 2026-2027 school year, Humphrey Elementary will be the home of HLWW's kindergarten, first and second grade, as well as Little Laker Learners Preschool, Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten, Laker Care and before/after school care.  Winsted Elementary will be the home of grade three, grade four, and additional sections of Little Laker Learners Preschool.

With the change in building configurations, this new structure allows the District to support students by:

• Maintaining balanced and manageable class sizes
• Strengthening teacher collaboration and instructional consistency
• Providing targeted supports by grade level
• Adapting more effectively to enrollment changes over time
• Expanding child care opportunities for families
• Building early connections among students across the district

A cross-functional Transition Team meets regularly to guide planning and implementation.  Current priorities of the team include:

• Transportation planning and communication
• Staff assignments and support structures
• Building schedules and daily operations
• Classroom and materials transitions
• Laker Care programming and capacity
• Ongoing communication with staff and families

All planning decisions are grounded in what best supports student success and continuity.

Shared are the tentative assignments for staff as they transition grades and buildings for 2026-2027.  This is a fluid document and will be updated as any changes are made to staffing.

Tentative Teacher Assignments

4.0 Transportation Services will be implementing changes to current practices for HLWW in 2026-2027 to better define routes/schedules, identify any increases in transportation demand, and ensure safe, efficient and fair transportation for students to and from school. 

The full communications to families can be found:

• March 30 Letter
• April 6 Letter
• Bus Form To Indicate Transportation Needs

Key changes for 2026-2027:

• To maintain safety and routing integrity, multiple or frequent drop-off changes will not be approved.  Once locations are established, they are expected to remain consistent throughout the year.
• Transportation Hub:  The Middle School/High School (MS/HS) campus will serve as the primary transportation hub for all K-12 students to transfer buses as needed, or for parent pick up.
• Elementary Pick-Up:  Elementary parents who plan to pick up their children will be asked to indicate whether pick-up will occur at the MS/HS transportation hub or at one of the elementary campuses.
• Designated Stops:  While one consistent pick-up and drop-off stop is preferred, families may select up to two consistent pick-up and drop-off locations for the school year (for example: home and day care).  Keeping locations limited and consistent allows us to build reliable routes for all students.
• Any unique circumstances must be submitted in writing and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Any questions can be directed to Dr. Dan Edwards, HLWW Superintendent at dedwards@hlww.k12.mn.us