How a Rural School District Built a Future-Ready High School the World Is Watching

In this TomoClub podcast episode, Chelsea Dean, Curriculum Director and host, sits down with Dr. Noel Schmidt, Superintendent of Rock Ridge Public Schools in Minnesota’s Iron Range, to explore how rural districts can lead the world in future-ready education. From unifying historically rival communities to building a Fiercely United identity, Dr. Schmidt shares the story behind Rockridge’s transformation - including the intentional design of an award-winning high school recognized with the 2025 James D. McConnell Award.

The conversation unpacks district consolidation, deep community engagement, and a bold shift toward career academies, project-based learning, and student-centered spaces. Dr. Schmidt also discusses career and technical education, partnerships with local industries, AI literacy, flexible learning environments, and how school architecture can actively support collaboration, movement, and real-world learning - offering practical insights for leaders driving innovation with limited resources.

Key Points Discussed
Reimagining Rural Education – How Rock Ridge Public Schools is proving that rural districts can lead global innovation by building future-ready, student-centered learning environments.

Uniting Rival Communities – Lessons from merging historically competing districts through a shared vision, deep listening, and the “Fiercely United” mindset.

Community-Led School Design – Why 150+ community meetings and large-scale surveys ensured true buy-in and shaped every major decision.

Career Academies for All Students – Designing a high school where every learner explores real-world career pathways before graduation.

Instruction-First Architecture – How classrooms, hallways, and shared spaces were designed around how students learn, collaborate, and move.

Project-Based Learning in Action – Shifting from traditional instruction to hands-on, real-world projects that build critical thinking and teamwork.

Teacher Buy-In Drives Change – Why securing strong teacher support was essential before launching large-scale instructional transformation.

Managing Resistance Strategically – Focusing on the quiet majority instead of letting a small vocal group block progress.

Advice for Rural Leaders – Go slow, explore global models, involve the community, and let people choose the path forward.

Time Stamps / Chapters
00:00 Introduction: Rural innovation beyond big cities
01:07 Meet Dr. Noel Schmidt, Superintendent of Rock Ridge Public Schools
02:22 Why improving rural education became the driving mission
03:14 Merging rival districts and the birth of “Fiercely United”
05:11 Community engagement at scale: 150+ meetings & public trust
06:13 Designing a career academy for all students
07:40 How community voice shaped an award-winning high school
08:18 Working with architects to design future-ready learning spaces
09:01 Flexible classrooms, shared spaces, and rethinking hallways
10:14 Career & technical education built at industry scale
11:56 Teacher buy-in, surveys, and opt-in change management
13:26 Supporting teachers through major instructional shifts
14:15 Navigating resistance and engaging the silent majority
16:42 Robotics, skilled trades, and future-ready pathways
19:48 Community engagement as the core of rural innovation
20:03 AI literacy and preparing students for an AI-driven future
21:45 Giving rural students a competitive edge
22:39 Scaling impact and welcoming visiting districts
23:03 Rethinking elementary design: movement, play, and engagement
24:30 Impact on attendance, behavior, and student culture
25:42 Advice for rural superintendents: go slow to go fast
26:31 Learning from global school models
27:23 Leadership question: Homework, relevance, and neurodivergent learners
28:47 Final reflections and closing advice