Rochester School Board Hears Concerns Over Proposed Sunset Terrace Elementary Merger

Community members raise questions about impact on students and families if Sunset Terrace is combined with Gage Elementary

Published on Feb. 4, 2026

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Members of the Sunset Terrace Elementary School community in Rochester, Minnesota voiced concerns to the Rochester School Board about a proposal to merge their school into the building currently occupied by Gage Elementary. The district cited financial pressures and a need for space for other programs as reasons for the potential merger, but parents argued the plan would disrupt the Sunset Terrace community and questioned whether all options had been explored.

Why it matters

The proposed merger of Sunset Terrace Elementary into the Gage Elementary building has raised concerns from the Sunset Terrace community about the impact on students, families, and the local neighborhood. With Sunset Terrace's growing enrollment, some question why a consolidation is being considered, especially after a recent school funding referendum passed that was intended to stabilize the district's finances and avoid school closures.

The details

Under the district's proposal, the Sunset Terrace community would be moved into the Gage Elementary building, creating two schools in one facility. The district says this would allow them to use the existing Sunset Terrace building for other programs, including the Middle School Alternative Learning Center and the Rochester Academy for Independent Living. However, community members argued the district should explore other options, such as seeking grants, before displacing students and families.

  • In the 2024-25 school year, Sunset Terrace had an enrollment of 437 students.
  • By the 2025-26 school year, Sunset Terrace's enrollment had grown to 487 students.
  • The proposed merger, if implemented, would take effect during the 2027-28 school year.

The players

Melissa LaForest

A member of the Sunset Terrace Elementary School community for the past seven years.

Jessica Shelly

The Sunset Terrace PTA President.

Rochester Public Schools (RPS)

The school district in Rochester, Minnesota that is considering the merger of Sunset Terrace and Gage Elementary schools.

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What they’re saying

“We feel it is worth preserving Sunset as is to keep the community it was built around intact.”

— Melissa LaForest (postbulletin.com)

“We engaged neighbors and advocated for its passage based on statements that the levy would stabilize district finances and allow the district to do what is best for students without closing individual schools.”

— Jessica Shelly, Sunset Terrace PTA President (postbulletin.com)

What’s next

The Rochester School Board has not yet made a final decision on the proposed merger. The district has postponed community meetings to discuss the plan due to concerns about how immigration enforcement is impacting families.

The takeaway

The Sunset Terrace Elementary community is pushing back against the district's proposal to merge their school into the Gage Elementary building, arguing it would disrupt their tight-knit community. With Sunset Terrace's growing enrollment, some question why consolidation is being considered, especially after voters recently approved a school funding referendum intended to stabilize the district's finances and avoid school closures.