Hello United South Central Families,
The mid-summer point officially hits here this week, and the start of the 2026-2027 school year is a little more than seven weeks away for our students. Even though the summer months are quiet in the school building, this is a very important time for planning and preparation to make sure the new school year starts off successfully.
Summer Projects - While we do not have many major construction projects underway at USC this summer, there are several smaller projects and routine maintenance efforts taking place to keep our facility in great shape. If you are around the school, you may notice some work happening in our parking lot as we slightly reduce the size of the concrete island near the elementary entrance. This adjustment will allow for a second lane of traffic and help improve the flow and efficiency of vehicles exiting the parking lot at the end of the school day. We are also completing some proactive roof repairs this summer to address minor concerns before they become larger issues and to help extend the usable life of our existing roof systems. Overall, our roofs remain in excellent condition for the age of our building, and we anticipate another 5–8 years before larger-scale roof updates and replacement will be necessary. Our custodial team continues to make excellent progress with their summer cleaning schedule, including deep cleaning and waxing every space in our building. They also work hard each summer to paint, refresh, and improve as many areas as possible so our classrooms and common spaces are ready for students and staff when school begins. We are also excited to welcome Nicholas Graff as our new Director of Buildings and Grounds. Nicholas joined the USC team here in July, and we are looking forward to the experience and leadership he brings to maintaining and improving our facilities. Overall, we are fortunate to have a tremendous facility at United South Central, and are committed to taking care of our building and making thoughtful investments that keep it safe, functional, and welcoming for our students, staff, and community.
District Budget - Our overall district budget at United South Central remains stable, reflecting careful planning, responsible decision-making, and a continued focus on long-term financial sustainability. For the 2026–27 fiscal year, we are projecting a balanced budget. We also closed the 2025–26 fiscal year in a stronger position than originally anticipated due to ongoing monitoring of expenses, thoughtful budgeting, and fiscal responsibility throughout the district. This stability allows us to continue focusing our resources on what matters most, supporting our students, maintaining strong programs, and investing in the people and resources that have the greatest impact on learning. As we look ahead, we will continue to be strategic with our resources while navigating inflation, uncertainty in state funding, and the need to make responsible financial decisions that support USC’s long-term success
Academic Calendar - Our academic calendar for the 2026–2027 school year is finalized. Labor Day falls later than usual this year and next, which shifts our calendar slightly and makes the overall schedule look a bit different than in previous years. As we continued to review the calendar and plan for the year ahead, we made one minor adjustment from the original calendar approved in January. Monday, November 30, following Thanksgiving Break, will now be a no school/professional development day. This additional professional development time will allow our staff to continue preparing for and implementing the new math standards that will be introduced during the upcoming school year. Please also note that our Wednesday early dismissal time will remain at 2:06 PM throughout the 2026–2027 school year, with the exception of September 9 and June 2. The complete 2026–2027 academic calendar is available on the front page of our district website and was also shared with families via email earlier this week. We encourage families to review the calendar as they begin planning for the upcoming school year.
Facilities Process - Our facilities planning process continues to move forward as we prepare for a November 3, 2026 referendum vote. After over a year-long process of studying our current facility needs, gathering input from staff and community members, and working through options with our Facilities Taskforce and consultants, our School Board has approved moving forward with a ballot question for the November election. The proposed project includes the addition of 10 classrooms and an elementary physical education space designed to address our long-term space needs and support our continued growth. USC is fortunate to be in a position where we are seeing increasing enrollment, and this planning effort is focused on ensuring our facilities continue to meet the needs of our students for the next decade and beyond. Throughout this process, community input has played an important role. We conducted a community survey to better understand priorities and perspectives regarding potential facility improvements. One clear message from the survey results was that, while there was recognition of the need for additional space, keeping the financial impact as measured as possible was a priority for our community. Based on that feedback, we reviewed, we listened, we scaled back, and adjusted the original concepts to create a project that addresses our most critical needs while keeping the overall cost as low as possible. The current proposal was submitted to the Minnesota Department of Education for review and comment in June as part of the required process. We will continue sharing additional information and opportunities for community members to learn more as we move closer to the November referendum.
Upcoming School Board Meetings - Throughout the remainder of 2026, our School Board will continue the practice of holding regular meetings in each of our district communities. We appreciate the Easton, Bricelyn, and Kiester communities for already welcoming us this year and providing opportunities for our board members and community members to connect outside of our regular meeting location. Looking ahead, our August meeting will be held in Walters on August 18, and our October meeting will take place in Freeborn on October 20. In addition, we will host a 30-minute question-and-answer session prior to both of these meetings to provide community members an opportunity to ask questions, learn more, and have conversations with district leaders, particularly regarding our ongoing facilities planning process and the proposed referendum. We welcome all questions and encourage community members to take advantage of these opportunities to stay informed and engaged. Our schools are truly governed by the people who make up our district, and we value the important role community members play in the democratic process of operating a public school district.
Upcoming Events and Activities at USC -
September 2, Middle and High School Open House 3:30-7:30 PM
September 8, First Day of School for Grades 7-12
September 8, Elementary Conferences
September 9, First Day of School for Grades K-6
September 14, Pre School Begins
September 16, First Wednesday PLC Dismissal at 2:06 PM
Thank you for your continued partnership and support of United South Central. We are fortunate to have such a strong school community, and we look forward to welcoming our students and families back for another great year.
Go Rebels!
Taylor Topinka
USC Superintendent