Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Minnesota District Holds Ribbon-Cutting for New High School

  • By Matt Jones
  • 10/04/23

Owatonna Public Schools in Owatonna, Minn., recently completed construction on a new high school for the district and celebrated a ribbon-cutting ceremony in late September, according to a news release. Owatonna High School covers 300,000 square feet and was designed by Wold Architects and Engineers to reflect the local community and available career paths for students.

The new facility includes spaces for career pathways like nursing, digital fabrication, the culinary arts, publishing and digital content creation, and science and engineering, according to the news release. The school also features a commons area designed to elicit the feeling of a town square, as well as ties to local industries to build partnerships between students and local businesses.

“Following years of working alongside many incredible local businesses, partners, staff and students, we are thrilled to finally open Owatonna High School and watch our students excel,” said Owatonna Public Schools Superintendent Jeff Elstad. “This school will help them foster a sense of community and ownership over their learning in an innovative and inspiring environment while serving as a source of excitement and pride for the city of Owatonna.”

Wold Architects and Engineers involved hundreds of staff members, students, community members, and local business leaders as they solicited input for the school’s design and community values. The land for the new school—as well as $20 million—was donated by mutual insurance company Federated Insurance. The district also partnered with construction manager Kraus-Anderson.

“After almost 10 years of working with Owatonna Public Schools to unite the community to successfully pass a referendum and design the district’s new high school, we’re proud to see the innovative building finally come to life,” said Wold Architects and Engineers partner Paul Aplikowski. “We’re grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with the district and local voices to create a school that reflects the community it serves. We are excited to see how this school realizes the district’s vision for education for many years to come and becomes a role model for the area in high school education.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • St. Lucie County, Fla., Breaks Ground on New K–8 School

    St. Lucie Public Schools in St. Lucie County, Fla., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new K–8 school, according to a news release. The district partnered with Spiezle Architectural Group, Inc., for the design of the upcoming Ft. Pierce K–8 School, which comprises six buildings covering 215,000 square feet.

  • Nashville Elementary School Receives LEED Gold Certification

    Goodlettsville Elementary School, part of Metro Nashville Public Schools in Nashville, Tenn., recently achieved LEED Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), according to a news release. The 81,750-square-foot school opened in 2023 and was designed by Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC).

  • Haws Corporation Marks 120th Anniversary

    Haws Corporation, which provides hydration and emergency safety solutions worldwide, recently announced that the company is celebrating its 120th anniversary this year, according to a news release.

  • Construction Begins on 100+ Acre K–12 Campus Designed for Lakota Culture

    The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (CRST) and the Cheyenne-Eagle Butte School District in Eagle Butte, S.D., recently broke ground on a new K–12 campus that will cover more than 100 acres and serve students and families across 1,600 square miles, according to a news release.