Minnesota K–12 District Starts Construction on New Elementary School

Le Sueur-Henderson Public Schools in Le Sueur, Minn., recently announced that construction has begun on a $40.4-million elementary school, according to a news release. The district partnered with construction management firm Kraus-Anderson and ATS&R Planners, Architects, and Engineers, and the new school has an estimated completion date of August 2024. The project is being funded as the result of a $39.9-million referendum that local voters passed in August 2022.

Le Sueur-Henderson Elementary School will measure in at 113,090 square feet and stand two stories. Features will include new classrooms and labs, a music room, a Kids’ Club, a cafeteria, and administrative space, the news release reports. It will also feature a 30,000 square foot field house featuring a three-court gym and locker rooms, as well as a 6,000-square-foot storm shelter. Other amenities include safety and security upgrades, a new parking lot, designated space for bus drop-offs, and two outdoor playground areas, the news release reports.

“The new school will bring 21st-century learning and opportunities to the next generation of Le Sueur- and Henderson-area students,” said Kraus-Anderson senior project manager Shane Butler.

Local news reports that the building is being designed according to modern learning standards, featuring flexible learning spaces and classroom pods. Once complete, the new school will serve as a single, unified space for all of the district’s K–5 students. The district has already sold one of its facilities, Park Elementary, which will be converted into housing units. Once construction is finished, the district’s other existing elementary school—Hilltop Elementary—will become an Alternative Learning Program facility.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Niles West High School Natatorium Renovation

    Natatoriums are highly specialized spaces, and luminaires in this setting face several unique challenges. Perhaps the most significant is corrosion, which is exacerbated by high indoor humidity, condensation, and pool chemicals, often resulting in material degradation in luminaires not certified to perform in corrosive environments.

  • DLR Group Appoints New K–12 Education Practice Leader

    Integrated design firm DLR Group recently announced that it has named its new global K–12 Education leader, Senior Principal Carmen Wyckoff, AIA, LEED AP, according to a news release. Her teams have members in all 36 of the firm’s offices in the U.S., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Europe, and Asia.

  • UNL Kiewit Hall

    Designing for Engineering Excellence: Integrating Sustainability and Wellness at UNLs Kiewit Hall

    Kiewit Hall at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln exemplifies how academic institutions can integrate sustainability and wellness into modern learning environments. With an integrated and collaborative team approach, Kiewit Hall addresses enhanced learning and creativity, physical health, and mental wellness, and fosters a sense of community through innovative design, operations, and policy solutions.

  • Spaces4Learning Trends & Predictions for Educational Facilities in 2026: Part II

    As education leaders look toward 2026, the design of K–12 and higher education facilities is being reshaped by powerful, converging forces. Survey respondents point to the rapid growth of Career and Technical Education, deeper alignment with workforce and industry needs, and the accelerating influence of AI and emerging technologies.

Digital Edition