An agreement is in place to build a new school for an East Metro district that’s been working for years to update it’s oldest building.

The St. Croix United Church in Bayport is selling a piece of its land to the Stillwater Area School District to build Andersen Elementary School.

Since 1994, it’s been a place of worship outside for the congregation at St. Croix United Church. 

“We call this People’s Park,” said Clare Gromoll, Pastor at St. Croix United Church. “Our congregation likes to think of ourselves as a small church with a big heart.”

From the memorial garden, to the outdoor chapel, the church has called this land its home during Minnesota’s warmer months.

“At the heart of the work I think of it as community leadership,” Gromoll said.

But Gromoll says they made the difficult decision to sell the land to Stillwater Area Public Schools for the elementary school’s new building.

“We know that those children and adults associated with our Bayport area elementary school need an updated facility,” Gromoll said.

Andersen Elementary School is the oldest and smallest in the district, and securing plans for a new school has been in the works for some time.

“We’re kind of tight for space throughout the building,” said Mike Funk, Stillwater Area Public Schools superintendent, during a tour of the school in 2023.

Funk says the school is more than 100 years old, doesn’t offer convenient green space and has numerous deferred maintenance needs.

“One of the things we want to do is provide an equitable experience for all of our students so they have a similar educational environment,” Funk said.

Less than a mile down the road, Gromoll says a big part of the agreement at this park was contingent on the new school having an outdoor classroom that can be used as a gathering space for their congregation and the rest of the public. 

“We have many members of our congregation who enjoy worship outdoors,” Gromoll said. “We look forward to the ADA accessible classroom that will be built and also be called a gathering space that our congregation and the wider community can use.”

The new school is expected to open for the 2027 school year. While it’s a bittersweet move for Gromoll, as a former teacher she knows this is what’s best for this community.

“We’re excited about the possibilities for the children,” Gromoll said. “There is a wonderful aspect of this change that’s occurring.”