Waconia superintendent says district is exploring FTEs for student mental-health supports as Ridgeview reports higher births in 2025

Superintendent Gersich said the district is exploring the possibility of securing additional full-time equivalent (FTE) positions to strengthen mental-health supports for students. Gersich also reported that Ridgeview’s birth rates, which had been flat in prior years, rose in 2025 and that March 2026 was the hospital’s busiest month, a trend the superintendent tied to planning for student supports and staffing needs.

The superintendent presented the information during the ISD 110 School Board work session on April 13, 2026. Gersich did not provide specific FTE counts or dollar amounts during the update, and no formal staffing action or vote occurred at the meeting. The board took the report as an informational item for future planning.

Why it matters: additional mental-health staff would affect staffing budgets and student services; enrollment or birth-rate increases can influence future classroom and support staffing needs. The transcript does not specify timelines, funding sources, or the precise number of positions under consideration.

Next steps noted in the session: the item remained a discussion point at the work session with no formal decision recorded. The board adjourned at 8:18 p.m.