Las Estrellas Dual Language Elementary School

Overview

Las Estrellas Dual Language Elementary is a Magnet School built in 1932. Las Estrellas Dual Language Elementary does not have air conditioning in the building and does not have its own kitchen. The building does not have a Safe and Welcoming Entrance, as defined by Capital Planning, Construction, and Maintenance. The building is 148,005 square feet in size and has a design enrollment of approximately 724 students.

Between school years 2014 and 2023, Minneapolis Public Schools has invested $3,845,003 in capital expenditures for the building.
In 2017, a facilities condition assessment classified the building as being in poor condition. The Operations Division will be conducting another facilities condition assessment in calendar year 2025.

Las Estrellas Dual Language Elementary had an enrollment of
443 students as of 01 October, 2024, with approximately 78.9% of
those students qualifying for Free or Reduced-Price Lunch benefits.
Note that families are still submitting Applications for Educational Benefits, so this proportion may change over the course of the school year. Total enrollment is approximately 61% of the building’s designed enrollment, making the current building use underutilized [‘underutilized’ is defined as enrollment totaling less than 70% of the design enrollment].

Building Use

At direction of the Board of Education, in October 2024 district staff performed a physical space study of all District schools. This included a walkthrough of the buildings that included many different stakeholders – Board directors, principals, teachers, central office staff, custodians, and others. The tables, figures, and plots below are a summary of data collected during the walkthrough of Las Estrellas Dual Language Elementary.

Classroom Spaces

See Table 1 below for how classrooms and labs are being used in the building.

Plan Use	Actual Use	N Rooms
Classroom	Classroom	31
Classroom	Intervention Room	1
Classroom	Music Room	1
Classroom	Office - General	2
Classroom	Special Ed Self Contained Room	1
Gymnasium	Classroom	1
Lab - Art	Lab - Art	2
Lab - Art	Storage	1
Lab - Computer	Classroom	1
Lab - Computer	Office - Private	1
Lab - Computer	teacher resource space	1

Table 1. Classroom and instructional spaces

Building Layout

The below figure[s] are building floorplans as annotated by building staff.

Figure 1. Floorplan for Las Estrellas Dual Language Elementary, floorplan pages 1 through 4

Guided Discussion

A guided discussion consisting of three questions was held with those who participated in the walkthrough. The major themes are included below, as are more detailed summaries of walkthrough participants’ answers.

Question 1: In what ways does the physical environment in this building best support learning?

Las Estrellas physical space is designed to support efficient and collaborative learning, with most classrooms featuring office and storage spaces that help keep areas organized. Large windows allow for plenty of natural light. The music and arts wing offers students many opportunities to engage in creative programming, while the ramp into the occupational therapy/physical therapy area ensures accessibility. Grade-level classrooms are located in the same wing, fostering collaboration among teachers. Multiple small-group breakout spaces cater to both individual and group learning needs, and the English learner and special education teams have sufficient space to meet student requirements. The building has a calm and clean atmosphere. Kindergarten classrooms benefit from private restrooms, and wide hallways accommodate two classes passing each other at once, with additional space for small group or 1:1 activities. High ceilings create a sense of openness, and the field and playground can accommodate multiple classes outside simultaneously. The school also enjoys a positive partnership with a local church, which provides audio equipment for school events.

Question 2: In what way does the physical environment in this building interfere with how we would like learning to happen today and in the future?

The school has a few challenges related to space, safety, and infrastructure. The lack of access to private bathrooms in the High 5 rooms is a challenge for young students. The cafeteria lacks natural light and the on-site kitchen needs an upgrade. The classrooms on the upper floors are not large enough for older students and large class sizes, particularly
in 4th and 5th grades. While the building has beautiful spaces, the size of classrooms is inconsistent. If all classrooms needed to be used for regular education, there wouldn’t be enough space for small group, English learner, or special education programs. However, the upcoming construction project is expected to address many of these issues. Safety concerns arise from the school’s proximity to busy streets and the lack of complete fencing around the playground, which also has drainage issues that make it icy in winter. The parking lot
is shared with a community group, requiring improvements to the gated area, and there are concerns about students eloping due to insufficient fencing. There is also a safety risk with community members crossing through the school property during the day. Inadequate lighting during morning drop-off and around the playground area adds to the safety issues.

Question 3: What should the district know or appreciate about the physical environment of this building?

The school has enough single-stall restrooms that could potentially be converted into gender-neutral bathrooms. The engineering team at Las Estrellas does an excellent job keeping the building clean and organized, although it can be challenging to maintain both the interior and exterior grounds, particularly in the winter when ice and snow removal becomes a safety concern. The school is looking forward to the addition of a secure entrance. However, recent installations of AC units in classrooms have taken up significant space, which will need to be considered in future planning.

Overall Discussion Themes

Classrooms have office and storage spaces
Kindergarten classrooms have private restrooms
Upcoming addition of secure entrance is highly anticipated
Lunchroom and cafeteria need improvements
Classroom sizes are too small for older grades

Survey Results

Fourteen questions were asked of walkthrough participants at the end of the walkthrough. There were 8 respondents to the survey at Las Estrellas Dual Language Elementary. The questions the participants were asked are included in Table 2 below, and the response breakdowns are included in Plot 1 below.

Question	Question Short	Question Text
1	welcoming main entry	The main entry is welcoming and able to be used by all students and visitors.
2	physical space design supports program	Generally, the design of the learning spaces in the building supports the way we teach and learn (e.g. classrooms are large enough to fit student desks, small group work space, etc.; there is storage for necessary curriculum, tools, manipulatives; all students can hear when the teacher is talking).
3	enough classrooms	The building has enough classrooms to support the number of students enrolled in the program.
4	entire student body can meet together	The school has a space large enough for the entire student body to be together.
5	adequate academic intervention space	The school has sufficient pull-out space to support instructional needs.
6	adequate regulation space	The school has sufficient pull-out space to respond to student behaviors.
7	adequate SPED space	There are sufficient spaces to meet the needs of the school’s Special Education programming.
8	mental health space	There are sufficient spaces to meet the mental health needs of students.
9	adequate lunch room	The cafeteria can accommodate the entire student body in three lunch services.
10	gyms large enough	The gyms are large enough to meet the needs of the program.
11	enough admin space	There is enough administrative space to meet the needs of the program.
12	functional outdoor space	The outdoor environment provides space for both learning and play.
13	adequate restrooms	The restrooms in the building meet the needs of the student body in terms of location, quantity, and inclusion.
14	building feels bright and welcoming	The building feels bright, welcoming, and efficient.

Table 2. Survey questions

Survey Question Results: Las Estrellas Elementary

Plot 1. Survey results for Las Estrellas Dual Language Elementary

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