Southern Minnesota Gains New K–12 School

The Maple River School District in Mapleton, Minn., recently finished construction on a new, $63-million K–12 school. The new facility covers 200,000 square feet and will serve students in the rural communities of Amboy, Good Thunder, Mapleton and Minnesota Lake, according to a news release. The new school is part of a long-range facilities plan whose funds come from a $63.3-million bond referendum that was passed in February 2020, and the project broke ground in October 2020.

In addition to classrooms and administration offices, the two-story facility features three gymnasiums, playgrounds, a kitchen, café, and a 500-seat auditorium. One wing of the school will serve elementary-school students and include early-childhood classrooms; the other wing will serve middle- and high-school students and include amenities like agricultural science and career and tech classrooms. It will also feature outdoor spaces like retention ponds, walking paths and playfields.

Maple River K12 School
Rendering Courtesy of ISG Architects

The new facility was designed with equity in mind, the news release reports. It will feature balanced classroom sizes and equal access to support and resources. The centralized learning environment is intended to boost students’ collaborative, interactive and social learning experiences, and the modernized facility will offer benefits like improved indoor air quality, accessibility and safety.

The district partnered with construction firm Kraus-Anderson and architecture firm ISG Architects.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Northeastern University Breaks Ground on New Housing Community

    Northeastern University recently announced the groundbreaking of a new student housing community on its campus in Boston, Mass., according to a news release. The university is partnering with American Campus Communities (ACC) for development of the project, which will have the capacity for 1,200 students and has a scheduled completion date of fall 2028.

  • Houston-Area High School Breaks Ground on 117,000SF Multi-Use Facility

    North Shore Senior High School, part of Galena Park ISD in Houston, Texas, recently broke ground on a new multi-use facility for student extracurriculars, according to a news release. The North Shore Multi-Use Facility will include dedicated practice and training space for the school’s athletics and fine arts programs.

  • 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.

  • blurry image capturing students navigating crowded hallways between classes

    How Human Behavior Data Is Reshaping Campus Facilities Management

    The ebb and flow of students, faculty, and administrators across a campus have a larger impact on maintenance, cleaning, and sustainability than many realize.