Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Nebraska Town Breaks Ground on New High School

  • By Matt Jones
  • 09/03/21

A groundbreaking ceremony was held this week for a new high school in Boys Town, Neb. The three-story, 110,000-square-foot facility will stand on the site of the small town’s previous high school, which was built in 1948 and was recently demolished to make room for construction. The project comes with a budget of $30 million and is currently scheduled for completion in August 2023.

“This school will serve as our incubator for educational concepts that we will teach to over 500 schools a year, including many right here in Nebraska,” said Father Steven Boes, Boys Town’s national executive director.

The facility will have the capacity for the district’s estimated 350 high-school students. About 80% of students arrive at the school with distinct academic deficiencies or behavior challenges, said a Boys Town spokeswoman, but 97% proceed to graduate from high school or continue their education.

According to local news sources, the village of Boys Town was founded in 1917 by the Rev. Edward J. Flanagan. Also known as “Father Flanagan’s Boys’ Home,” the town is dedicated to the treatment, care, and education of at-risk children.

“This new education center will help Boys Town continue to provide a safe and inspiring learning experience for our students,” said Boes. “We continue to make improvements on our campus as the needs of our children change.”

According to the Boys Town website, the Boys Town Education Center will feature amenities like science labs, state-of-the-art technology, adaptive indoor and outdoor classroom environments, a Maker’s Space, a multilevel media center, common spaces, a quiet gathering space for prayer and meditation, and centralized offices for administration and the behavioral intervention team.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Little Grand Market

    Designing for Belonging: Why Student Wellness Starts with Space

    From walkable site planning to flexible interiors, intentional design choices play a critical role in how students experience comfort, connection, and community.

  • University of Kansas Breaks Ground on Entrepreneurship Hub

    The University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kan., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new KU Entrepreneurship Hub, according to university news. The Hub is part of the university’s School of Business and will include spaces for experiential learning and programming.

  • UTampa Breaks Ground on STEM Academic Facility

    The University of Tampa in Tampa, Fla., recently broke ground on one of its largest academic facilities ever, according to a news release. The Dickey Science Innovation Center will measure 153,000 square feet and has a scheduled completion date of fall 2028.

  • Wisconsin District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    The School District of La Crosse in La Crosse, Wis., recently broke ground on a new elementary school that will consolidate the students and staff of two existing schools, according to local news. Funding for the school comes from a $53-million referendum approved in 2024.