Shane Dordal, Principal
Email:  sdordal@c-ischools.org
Phone: 763-691-8701

Welcome to Isanti Primary School my name is Mr. Dordal and I have been the principal at our school for the last 7 years.  It is an honor and privilege to serve and lead our school.  At Isanti Primary you will get a sense of care, compassion, and family as soon as you walk through the doors.  

We educate students from birth through 2nd grade at IPS.  We have a dedicated staff that are committed to meet our vision and mission each day.  Our vision at Isanti Primary is, We teach and value our children as if they are our own.  Our entire building is focused on helping each child be outstanding citizens with our focus on the 5 Character Traits that include respect, responsibility, compassion, honesty, and self-discipline.  We are a PBIS school district that is focused on student success beyond our school walls.

In addition to helping students be outstanding citizens focused on character we want our students ready for the ever changing world.  This includes helping each student love to read and be problem solvers.  Our classrooms are set up with individual libraries beyond our amazing Media Center to continue our literacy focus and instruction.  We offer Media, P.E., Art, and Music as our special rotations throughout the year.

We welcome you as parents to join our active PTO.  Our PTO partnership is strong and focused on helping our students and school.  It is common to have some type of event planned each month from Reading Nights, Family Game Night, Santa Day, Spring Carnival, etc.  We meet monthly one evening a month.  Stay tuned for the dates and the meeting formats.

Communication is critical for all of us so don’t hesitate to call or email any questions or concerns to our staff or myself.  We are here to partner with you to help your child meet their potential each and every day.

I look forward to another amazing year at Isanti Primary School!

PBIS stands for Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports.  This proactive approach promotes positive behavior.  We have a great partnership with our community in this approach.  At IPS we have "superheroes" that help with supporting and celebrating our Bluejacket Pride.  Our 5 Character Traits of respect, responsibility, honesty, compassion, and self-discipline is a focus for our entire school.  Our super heroes are Rudy Respect, Responsible Rex, Honest Abbie, Compassionate Cate, and Self-Discipline Sam.  A quick fun fact last year is we handed out over 29,000 blue jacket pride tickets to students for demonstrating our 5 Character Traits.  We are very proud of the enthusiasm and involvement of our school and community to help support these needed character traits.

Krista Stemper
Email:  kstemper@c-ischools.org
Phone: 763-691-8749

The role of the elementary counselor is to promote the academic and social/emotional growth of all of our amazing students. She works in partnership with educators and parents to assist students with making positive life choices, cope with difficult life events, identify and manage big feelings and emotions, appreciate diversity, promote confidence and develop healthy relationships.

The Elementary Counseling Program is to empower all students in the areas of academic, social emotional and preparing for their future, and assist to remove obstacles to learning in the classroom.

School Counselors and Social Workers meet the developmental needs of the whole student by providing:

• Individual counseling
• Small group counseling
• Preventative classroom guidance lessons
• School-wide programming
• Parent consultations
• Faculty consultation, collaboration, and education
• Coordination of services
• Referrals for specialized assistance

An Elementary School Counselor Can Assist to Increase:

• Focus and attention
• Belonging & safety
• Self-efficacy, self-esteem
• Friendship skills
• Study Skills
• Motivation
• Emotional Management
• Mindfulness

Attendance Matters - Help your student succeed in school, build the habit of good attendance.  For more information see the Attendance Matters Flyer.

IPS PTO - The Isanti Primary School Parent Teacher Organization's purpose is to establish a parent-teacher partnership in order to support students and their learning while at IPS.  Visit the IPS PTO Facebook page for more info.

Isanti Primary School currently serves approximately 500 PreK - 2nd grade students who live in the area surrounding the city of Isanti. We are pleased to offer early childhood family education, early childhood preschool and early childhood special needs programs as well as the traditional kindergarten through second grade programs.

The former Isanti Elementary School was built in 1969 and includes two more additions built in 1988 and 1989. The 1969 building replaced a building that was built in 1905. The 1905 building was 2 stories tall, included a full basement and had four rooms with more space for expansion. Years later, in 1950, an old country school was moved in to serve as a cafeteria and band room. This building happened to be the very first school in Isanti's first school district. A few of the principals in the very first Isanti Schools included Ms. Winnie Fischer (1905 - 1907), Mr. Gerald McKay (1930's), Mr. Russell Medin (1940's).

The current building is called Isanti Primary School, and with the addition of 4 classrooms that were added in 2015, has 35 classrooms, a full gym and cafeteria, media center, computer labs and office suite. Starting in 1999 our school site included three portable buildings which added six more classrooms for our growing enrollment and the addition of the year round program, School For All Seasons. From 1998 to the spring of 2006 Isanti Elementary housed between 750 and 930 students. With the opening of our new Isanti Intermediate School we were able to move out the portable classrooms and change our grade structure and enrollment so that we fit in the existing building.Third grade, fourth grade and the School for All Seasons are now housed in the new Isanti Intermediate School. The Principals in the current building have included Ms. Rubie Bellin (1966 - 1976), Mr. Paul Tatting (1976 - 1998), Ms. Kristine Stueve (1998 - 2013) and Mr. Shane Dordal (2013 - Present).

Isanti Primary School Mission Statement​

The mission of Isanti Primary School, as the cornerstone of educational success, is built on innovative experiences to maximize the potential of every individual, by sculpting lifelong learners with exceptional character, providing a balance of rigorous learning opportunities with genuine care, in partnership with families and community.

School-wide Behavior Purpose Statement

To comply with current public health orders, Cambridge-Isanti Schools will only allow essential visitors into our school buildings. While in our buildings, a mask must be worn at all times. Large group gatherings will occur virtually while under these public health orders. 

Parents and Guardians may enter the main office to drop off or pick up a student. A mask must be worn while in the office. To facilitate the process, please call ahead to inform the office of your arrival time.

Essential Visitors (district staff, contractors) are required to wear a mask in our buildings at all times. You will be asked to verify your identity by showing office staff a form of photo identification such as a driver’s license or state ID card. Your ID will be scanned into our visitor management database and a photo visitor badge will be printed and used as your visitor credential for the day. You will be issued a colored lanyard with a plastic sleeve that will hold your credential. The lanyard must be placed around your neck with your visitor badge visible at all times during your visit. At the completion of your visit, you will be required to check back into the main office to return your visitor badge and to sign out as a visitor. Office staff will retain your photo ID for the duration of your visit. Your photo ID will be returned to you when you sign out as a visitor.

Please be aware that our staff has been trained to follow protocol and question visitors who are in the building and not wearing a mask and/or ID badge. Please be advised of school district POLICY #903 which outlines that an individual or group may be denied permission to visit a school if visitor(s) do not comply with the school district procedures or if the visit is not in the best interest of students, employees or the school district.