Empowering Detroit Lake Schools with Fiber

Detroit Lakes School District (DLSD) faced challenges common to many rural districts: outdated infrastructure, limited bandwidth and unreliable connectivity. They needed a partner who could guide them to a solution that was both innovative and sustainable – so they turned to Midco.

The challenge. 

As the demands of digital education continued to grow, DLSD’s outdated system couldn’t keep up.

“We had a small internet pipe, and I knew something had to be done,” said Tim Vagle, DLSD Technology Manager. “We needed to act now to build a system that could support our future.” 

The limited bandwidth not only affected classroom learning but hindered the district’s ability to connect with the community. 

"We were working with outdated systems that couldn’t meet our needs,” Vagle explained. “Bandwidth was low, price was high – you know, all the things you try to avoid.” 

For a district committed to preparing students for tomorrow, these limitations were unacceptable. They needed a provider that could handle the complexities of a school district with the fiber capabilities to power them into tomorrow.

“One of the biggest hurdles or obstacles for schools in Minnesota, especially rural Minnesota, is the fact that most fiber providers don't have enough fibers in town to get from school to school,” explained Mark Jenson, DLSD Superintendent of Schools. 

Vagle added, “We want to provide that opportunity for our kids so that they aren’t limited in what they can or can’t do. We looked for somebody who was aware of that, understood that and wanted to grow with us.” 

A true partner. 

Enter Midco. The provider stepped in to offer a customized solution for DLSD, leveraging expertise in fiber internet to solve the district’s immediate issues and future-proof its infrastructure.

“During the pre-stage, before anything was chosen or selected, Midco was willing to work with us,” said Vagle. “I never felt like I was getting shut down, even when my requests were a little strange or went beyond what people typically wanted.” 

The journey. 

The success of the project wasn’t just in planning but in execution. During construction, for example, Vagle warned the DLSD staff that Midco would need to dig and run fiber around the district. 

While they prepared for the worst, Midco exceeded expectations with minimum disruptions.  

“Literally outside my office, there was a crew of probably four,” said Jenson, “The only reason I would've known is that I saw somebody walk by, which is unusual. I look out, and they had spent the day digging, wiring and filling it back in. It looked better than when they started! They were done within the day, and I was like, ‘Wow, that's pretty impressive.’” 

In a matter of months, Midco had interconnected the district’s buildings with dark fiber, enabling unprecedented reliability and speed.

“The biggest thing with fiber is the uptime and reliability of being able to know it’s there, and it’s ready to go,” explained Vagle. “We're in a better situation now because we have brand new fiber.” 

“By July 1, we were live. Everything was tested, transitioned and running smoothly,” he added. “Midco went above and beyond to make sure it happened – even working through a tight timeline that included a holiday.” 

The results. 

With Midco’s dedicated fiber network, DLSD now has multi-gig internet across all its buildings. 

“This will set our kids up to be in any of the buildings, helping out wherever they need in order to be able to communicate across town quickly and at a fast pace,” said Vagle. 

And the benefits extend beyond the classroom. The upgraded network has made the district’s buildings a hub for community activity.

“In our field house, we now have Wi-Fi capabilities that allow mom and dad to stream events to grandma and grandpa who are snowbirds down in Arizona,” said Vagle. “Our field house has become a draw for regional events like section championships. With our bandwidth, broadcasters can plug in and go. We want the best-looking product out there to showcase what we have.” 

Jenson added, “We had presenters using jumbotrons in our field house, and everything ran flawlessly. If the internet failed, we would’ve looked foolish. Instead, we showed the region what’s possible when you partner with the best.” 

The infrastructure also supports the district’s academic model, where every junior participates in an internship designed to prepare them for the real world. 

"We place around 200 students in community internships every year,” explained Jenson. “They need access to information instantly, and Midco’s reliability ensures they’re never left waiting.” 

The internship program spans many industries, including health care, business and technology – and is integral to the district’s goal of helping students explore and build skills for future careers. 

“We're a public school. We're a community school. Our students grow from us and help grow the community,” said Vagle, “so we want to make sure we have everything for them, and we want to give back and have some availability to community members.” 

Detroit Lakes Public Schools’ partnership with Midco exemplifies what’s possible when businesses and communities come together with a shared vision. 

“We hope to have that long-term relationship that as that grows, we find more opportunities to work together, not just as a customer client but more as a partnership,” concluded Jenson.