Area Community Guide • March 2026
NORTH BRANCH AREA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Page 51
North Branch Area Public Schools( ISD # 138) enrolls approximately 2,700 students and serves an area 176 square miles in size situated in mid-Chisago County and northeastern Isanti County.
North Branch Area Education Center, 38705 Grand Ave., 651-674-1000. This site includes the district office, Distance Learning Academy and is the current home of the school district’ s Early Childhood and Family Education Center, 651-674-1220, as well as kindergarten. The center also houses Community Education and School Age Care, 651-674-1025. Early Learning and Kindergarten are overseen by Director Erica Bjerketvedt. The Distance Learning Academy is overseen by principals David Treichel( 9-12), Kelly Detzler( 6-8), and Taylor Swanson( K-5), 651-674-1055.
Sunrise River Elementary School, 37775 Grand Ave., 651-674-1100. The school serves students in grades 1-5, and the principal is Taylor Swanson.
North Branch Area Middle School, 38431 Lincoln Trail, 651-674-1300. Students in grades 6-8 attend the middle school, where they’ re offered options through a variety of sports, clubs and organizations. Kelly Detzler is the school’ s principal, and the assistant principal is Matt Lattimore. The middle school houses grades 6-8 as well as the Chisago County School’ s Life Work Center.
North Branch Area High School, 38175 Grand Ave., 651-674-1500. The high school serves students in grades 9 through 12, offering enrollment in college-level courses and the option of commuting to area colleges for classes. Students can choose to participate in an education-to-work program that is a partnership between the school and local businesses. Clint Link is the school’ s principal, and Jacob Truby and Amanda Daeger are assistant principals.
The Brooker Building, 38423 Lincoln Trail, houses the Norse Area Learning Center, principal Clint Link, 651-674-1031.
Technology: North Branch Area Public Schools takes a proactive stance on integrating technology into the curriculum, with Internet-capable machines and a“ 1:1” device initiative for all students grades 5-12. The district’ s technology director is Darin Marcussen.
Transportation: North Branch Area Public Schools works with 4.0 School Services to safely transport roughly 2,700 students throughout the year on vehicles equipped with state-of-the-art safety equipment. Lonnie Hansen is the department’ s manager, 651-674-1030.
Extra-curricular Activities
The goal of North Branch Area Public Schools is to have every middle and high school student involved in at least one activity outside of class. Toward that goal, the district has developed quality programs operated by dedicated coaches and advisors who care about the children and their potential. Students find a range of options in everything from athletics to fine arts. NBAPS belongs to the highly competitive Mississippi 8 Conference, and the activities coordinator is Kindra Helin, 651-674-1514.
School Board
Six members comprise the school board, which meets 5:30 p. m. on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month in room C120 of the North Branch Area Education Center. Members are elected at large for four-year terms. Current school board members include Shelly Johnson, Sarah Grovender, Tim MacMillan, Jesse LaValla, Adam Trampe, and Heather Naegele. Superintendent Sara Paul, 651-674-1012, serves the board as an ex-officio member.
Early-Childhood Family Education
The ECFE program offers classes for parents raising children that are ages infant to 5 years old, as well as a community preschool and free early-childhood screenings, which are held several times throughout the school year. Families with young children can also take advantage of field trips scheduled and planned by ECFE.
North Branch Area Community Education
The local Community Ed program advises:“ Experience the fun of learning – a lifelong adventure.” It offers many different classes such as academic enrichment; arts including crafts, music, dance, drama and music; computer training; cooking; health including fitness, open gym, walking club, and exercise classes; and recreation including sports clinics and camps.
People have fun at the events community education organizes such as the Arts Fest on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, the Tuesday-night concerts in the park, senior-citizen fishing days and Sunrise Seniors Story Theater. Community education opportunities enable people to learn something, take up a hobby, meet new friends, keep kids busy and make life more interesting. Contact the community education offices for more information, 651-674-1025. The director is Erica Bjerketvedt.
School-Age Care is offered to students in grades K-6 in a safe and enriching environment before and after school while parents must work. Children play games, do crafts, learn small cooking tasks and participate in social activities. Information can be found at the district’ s
NORTH BRANCH SCHOOLS see page 52