Owatonna Schools Will Change Names in the Fall

Two Owatonna schools will change names this fall. The names of Washington Elementary and McKinley Elementary are going to different buildings.

In their email newsletter this week, Owatonna Public Schools reminds the community that most students and staff from Washington Elementary will move to what is now McKinley Elementary at 423 14th St. N.E., but will be renamed Washington. Many of the students and staff at McKinley will shift to Willow Creek at 1050 22nd St. N.E., which will be renamed McKinley Elementary STEM School.

The school district indicates that few changes will take place at Lincoln or Wilson Elementary Schools. Sixth-graders will attend Owatonna Middle School, which is currently referred to as the junior high. Residents with questions can contact the school district at (507) 444-8615.

You can view the updated elementary school boundary map and the process the district used in creating it by clicking here.

Updates and expansions were made possible with the passing of a referendum in November 2015. The newsletter reports that not all construction work will be done for the start of the 2017-18 school year. When all work is complete, additions will be in place at Lincoln and McKinley Elementary schools, Willow Creek will be a K-5 school and the junior high will be a middle school for grades 6-8.

In other news, kindergarten registration has started for those who will be enrolling school in the fall. A volunteer appreciation event is planned for Thursday, April 27, from 4-5:30PM at Owatonna Public Utilities.