Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Minnesota K–12 District Completes New Elementary School

  • By Matt Jones
  • 09/03/24

Rock Ridge Public Schools in Virginia, Minn., recently announced that construction of the district’s newest elementary school is complete. North Star Elementary cost $28.5 million and has the capacity for 600 students in grades 3–6, according to a news release. The district partnered with Kraus-Anderson Duluth for the project’s construction and BNDRY Studio for its design.

The project was part of a larger construction initiative after consolidating the Eveleth-Gilbert and Virginia school districts into Rock Ridge, the news release reports. The 79,000-square-foot facility stands three stories and takes the place of a former elementary and high school. Amenities include collaborative learning spaces, open-concept classrooms, and modernized technology and teaching resources.

The building’s second floor features an outdoor learning space via an open-air learning patio above the main commons area. Extending the building upward to minimize the building’s footprint and reclaim greenspace was the result of collaboration with the surrounding community. Construction began in spring 2022, according to the news release.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Harvard Announces Replacement Facility for Native American Program

    Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., recently announced that construction will begin this spring on a new home for its Native American Program, according to university news. The 6,500-square-foot, all-electric building will stand three stories and serve as the central hub for the Harvard University Native American Program (HUNAP).

  • USC Launches Major AI Initiative After $200M Gift

    The University of Southern California in Los Angeles, Calif., recently announced that it has launched a “transformational” new AI initiative thanks to a $200M gift, according to a news release. The project will leverage AI toward breakthroughs and innovations in subjects like the health sciences, business, security, and the arts.

  • Zurn Elkay Releases 2025 Sustainability Report

    Zurn Elkay Water Solutions recently announced the release of its annual sustainability report, according to a news release. The 2025 report discusses the organization’s efforts to maintain good environmental stewardship and the solutions provided in helping customers meet sustainability goals.

  • Ohio State University Opens 26-Story Hospital

    The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center recently opened in Columbus, Ohio, standing 26 stories and covering 1.9 million square feet, according to a university news release. The project marks ten years of effort and is the university’s largest single-facility construction project ever.