By Rich Larson, KYMN News
Northfield school leaders are working to reassure families amid heightened concern over federal immigration enforcement, emphasizing that the district has clear, longstanding protocols governing any outside agency that seeks access to students.
Superintendent of Northfield Public Schools Dr. Matt Hillmann said the district’s approach is rooted in two core principles: protecting students and following established policy. While acknowledging the wide range of views on federal immigration policy, Hillmann stressed that Northfield schools are committed to supporting both students and their families during a period of fear and uncertainty.
Hillmann said the district has formal procedures for all visitors and for any outside agency requesting to interview a student. Those protocols—shared with staff more than a year ago and discussed publicly several times since—require that such requests be routed through the district office to ensure a consistent response. They also include parental notification requirements for interviews related to incidents outside of school, except in specific maltreatment cases governed by separate law.
Although recent incidents in Northfield, Faribault, and Minneapolis have raised community anxiety, Hillmann emphasized that immigration enforcement inside a school building remains highly unusual. He noted that Northfield’s school campuses have physical buffer zones that reduce the likelihood of off‑campus incidents spilling onto school grounds, as happened outside Roosevelt High School last week.
Hillmann stressed, with policies and protocols in place, there is no way to completely shelter students from the uncertainties dominating the headlines. But, he sadi, the district is looking to provide students as much stability as possible.
“It’s a messy world right now. There’s no debate about that. Our job is to provide as much normalcy for kids at school as possible. These are young people who deserve the naivete of youth. When our students are at school, our job is to try to provide them with as much normalcy as we can with all of the messiness that’s happening outside.”
The impact of community fear is already visible. Attendance among Hispanic students—typically around 92 percent—fell below 60 percent on Friday amid local speculation about enforcement activity.
“As a school district, we are going to take care of our kids. We are going to support our kids. We will educate the children that show up. We’re required to educate everyone who comes to us. That is not negotiable. We’re also going to do everything that we can to support their families.
Hillmann said keeping students in school is essential, and the district will continue working with community partners to ensure families feel safe.
