A Message from Our Superintendent
What’s Inside
Superintendent Message
About the District
Connect with Us
CLSD At a Glance
Strategic Plan Update
Academic Data
Student Learning
School Finance 101
Budget Overview
General Fund
Fund Balance
Back to School Info
School Calendar
Dear Wildcat Families & Community Members,
At Chisago Lakes Schools, we believe our community deserves to know not only where we've been, but where we're headed. That's why I'm pleased to share our 2026-2027 Annual Report.
Inside, you'll find a comprehensive look at our district, including student achievement data, financial stewardship, progress on our Strategic Plan, and important back-to-school information to help your family prepare for the year ahead.
This report reflects the hard work of our students, staff, families, and community partners. Together, we continue to build on our tradition of excellence while remaining focused on providing every student with the opportunities and support they need to succeed.
Thank you for your continued trust, partnership, and investment in Chisago Lakes Schools. We are excited to welcome our students back for another outstanding school year and look forward to all we will accomplish together.
Go Wildcats!
Brian Dietz Superintendent Chisago Lakes School District
About Chisago Lakes School District
Chisago Lakes School Board
Lori Berg Chair
Jeff Lindeman Vice Chair
Brenda Carlson Treasurer
About Chisago Lakes School District
Jen Penzenstadler Clerk
Josh Soderlund Director
Sarah Aadland Director
The Chisago Lakes School District unites five historical communities with a tradition of excellence. Each community offers a unique history and contemporary charm. Spanning 165 square miles, the district encompasses 24 lakes and the scenic St. Croix River Valley, providing abundant recreational opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts.
The District serves approximately 3,200 students from PreK through grade 12 and their families. Our Primary School, located in Chisago City, serves PreK through grade 1 students. Taylors Falls Elementary School, located in Taylors Falls, serves PreK through grade 5, while Lakeside Elementary School in Chisago City serves grades 2–5. Chisago Lakes Middle School and Chisago Lakes High School are both located in Lindstrom.
In addition to our traditional school settings, the District offers Wildcat Academy, a flexible online learning program serving students in grades 8–12. Wildcat Academy provides a high-quality virtual education option for families seeking a personalized learning experience while remaining connected to Chisago Lakes Schools.
The Chisago Lakes School District also collaborates with the St. Croix River Education District to house the Chisago Lakes Education Center, which includes the Pathway to Change and SOAR (Skill-building Opportunities for Academic Resiliency) programs.
We are proud of our longstanding tradition of excellence in academics, fine arts, community education, athletics, and extracurricular activities, providing every student with opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive.
Connect with Us
Social Media
ChisagoLakesSchoolDistrict
ChisagoLakesSchoolDistrict
YouTube
ChisagoLakesSchoolDistrict
SchoolBoardMeetings
Website
www.isd2144.org
Phone & Email
651-213-2000
communications@isd2144.org
Staff Directory
Lookingtocontactaspecificstaff member?Visitourstaffdirectory onourwebsiteorscantheQR Codebelow.
Wildcat Activities
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Chisago Lakes School District
AT A GLANCE
3,153 STUDENTS ENROLLED
Highlig
94%
CLHS’s graduation rate continues to be above Minnesota state average. (MDE) Consistently scores above the state average on the MCAs. (MDE)
503 STAFF MEMBERS
their child receives. (2026 Parent Survey)
91.5%
Chisago Lakes families consider Chisago Lakes a high performing district. (2026 Parent Survey)
Strategic Plan Update
The 2025-2026 school year marks the second year of implementation of the district’s updated strategic plan. The full strategic plan is available at www.isd2144.org/about-us/strategic-plan
Funding
We have received continuous feedback on our Bond campaign on how we message items
We have made changes to our digital footprint from their feedback to improve understanding and education for others
We have instituted changes to better inform our community stakeholders
Maximizing the value of education through all available streams For more information on our Strategic Plan, scan the QR code
Evidence Based Instructional Practices
Expand the framework for implementation of evidence based instructional practices that allows all students, staff, and teachers to thrive.
We launched Wildcat Academy, the district’s first on-line academy
Reshaped the CLMS schedule to add other options to enhance the 6 grade experience at no cost th Work on system-wide enhanced supports in all areas
Provide coaching and mentoring
Strategic Storytelling
Share authentic, compelling, and trustbuilding narratives with our Chisago Lakes community through Strategic Storytelling.
Reaffirmed all of the communication we do through the Communication Matrix
Expanded access through the redesign of a comprehensive
Community Involvement
Coordinate opportunities to increase community involvement.
Establishing a mentor-based program, in partnership with Rotary, to support our 8th grade students who are in need
Launching a county-wide initiative centered on on-going education
Reflection
4 out of the 5 goals are at completion
We have dozens of new or enhanced initiatives through this plan
District leadership will continue to monitor these new initiatives and make adjustments as needed
Academic Data
Chisago Lakes consistently outperforms state and regional averages in reading, math, and science at all grade levels. MCAs help us understand how well we align daily lessons to state standards, and how well resources are supporting instruction in reading, math, and science.
MCA Math Scores
State Chisago Lakes
MCA Reading Scores
Chisago
MCA Science Scores
State Chisago Lakes
Supporting Student Learning
How we use data to support student learning
MTSS (Multi-tiered System of Supports) is a framework for educators and school leaders to ensure that each student at Chisago Lakes is thriving academically, behaviorally, emotionally and socially. MTSS is not a separate program or curriculum. Instead, it is a framework that is integrated throughout all grade levels, subject areas, and learning environments.
MTSS uses student data to help educators make informed decisions about instruction and support. By regularly reviewing student progress, Chisago Lakes can identify strengths, address challenges early, and provide the right level of support at the right time.
Are students learning what we teach?
Guides daily instruction for all students
Daily student work Projects Quizzes
Who may need a greater challenge?
Enrichment & Advanced Learning
Identifies students who may benefit from acceleration, enrichment, or advanced opportunities
Performance Tasks & Student thinking
Classroom
Observation COGAT (as needed for identification)
Chapter tests Essay
Who may be at risk?
Identifies risk level for not meeting standards
FastBridge Suite of Assessments
Oral Reading Fluency (ORF)
Capti ReadBasix
Who needs additional support?
Determine instructional response
Analyze data
Identify skill deficits
Determine interventions
Is the support working?
Monitoring progress
Measure response to intervention
Grad Rates MCA ACT
Did students meet standards?
School Finance 101
How many different funds does CLSD have?
General
School
Pupil
Food
Community
Enrichment
Early
Fund Balance Basics Whatisafundbalance?
The difference between assets & liabilities representing the district’s “savings account” or financial cushion.
A district’s fund balance is an important aspect in considering the district’s financial well being.
Provides for things such as:
Cash flow
Cushion against unanticipated expenditures
Enrollment changes
Funding deficiencies
Aid proration at the state level
FundBalanceCategories
Assigned - district’s intent for specific purpose
Separation/retirement
Mindful Planning
Unassigned - for all other purposes not described by other categories
The fund balance most widely referred to by individuals
Restricted - legally enforceable constraints
Non-Spendable - not in spendable form or legal requirement
Prepaid items
Inventories
FY 27 Budget Overview
The annual budget presented includes an analysis of the actual financial results of the District at June 30, 2025, and the anticipated positions at June 30, 2026 and June 30, 2027.
A school district’s budget can be one of the most meaningful and useful documents in public school administration. It depicts the priorities of the School Board, administration, staff and community. The District’s preliminary budget for the fiscal year 2027 is shown below.
General Fund
The General Fund contains all revenue and expenditures for the general, day-today operations of the school district. This includes salaries and benefits for teachers, administrators, custodians, secretaries, and para-professionals; instructional supplies, technology, transportation, textbooks, and money spent to operate and repair District buildings. In some ways, it is clearer to express the General Fund in terms of what it does not cover. The General Fund does not cover food service, Community Education programs, debt service payments on voterapproved bonds issued by the District, and the cost of major construction projects financed through the issuance of bonds.
Fund Balance
The level of spending is set with a number of considerations in mind, but one of the primary considerations is to maintain an adequate level of reserves for unanticipated events. The District has a formal policy calling for an unassigned fund balance in the General Fund equal to at least 7.0% to 10.0% of total expenditures. This balance could be considered to be the District’s insurance policy against the unforeseen. Maintaining an adequate fund balance is important for the stability of the district, and is a key measure that credit rating agencies examine when assigning a credit rating to a District, which can have a material impact to resident taxpayers. The projected unassigned General Fund balance as of June 30, 2026 is $3,376,568. This is 7.06% of the expenditure budget.
Unanticipated events that could occur that would require the District to dip into its unassigned fund balance include:
Enrollment fluctuations
Unanticipated price increases for essential purchases, e.g. fuel for heating, other utilities, transportation
State aid revenue reductions or ‘pro-rations’
Unforeseen public health emergencies or severe weather/natural disasters
Federal sequestration
General Fund - Unnassigned Fund Balance Projection
Want to take a deeper dive into school finance? Visit our website by scanning the QR for more information.
Back to School 2026 - 2027 School Year
We are excited to welcome everyone back!
Let’s make it a great year! Our dedicated staff is ready to inspire, challenge, and support every student - every day! Thank you for being a valued park of our Wildcat community.
Important Dates
School Supply Lists Now available online!
Secondary Teacher Placements Friday, August 7
Elementary Classroom Placements Friday, August 14
Open House Dates
Secondary: Tuesday, August 25
Elementary: Wednesday, August 26
First Day of School Tuesday, September 1
Helpful Resources
Scan the QR code to visit our Back to School webpage for a centralized location for all items related to the start of the 2026-2027 school year.
Chisago Lakes School District
New & Returning Engagement Sessions
Soup with the Superintendent will return this fall. Join Superintendent Dietz and District Administration for conversation over Soup.
New this fall will be Donuts & Dollars. Join Robyn Vosberg-TorgersonDirector of Business Services for conversations around school finance while enjoying coffee and donuts! Look for more information about both engagment sessions coming in August.
LookingforWildcatActivities schedulesandtopurchase tickets?ScantheQRcodebelow formoreinformation.
