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

  • Construction Begins on New University Research Vessel

    Boat-building company All American Marine recently announced that it has begun construction on a new catamaran research vessel for the University of Texas Marine Science Institute (UTMSI) in Port Aransas, Texas, according to a news release.

  • Round Rock ISD Completes New Early College High School

    Round Rock ISD near Austin, Texas, recently announced that construction is complete on a new, 46,500-square-foot campus for Early College High School, according to a news release. The new facility will allow the school’s students and staff to move from portables into a permanent building and increase its enrollment to 500.

  • From Approval to Opening: Inside Travis Unified School District’s Fast Tracked Campus Expansion

    The Travis Unified School District (TUSD) in northern California includes several elementary and high schools serving over 5,400 students. In 2024, the TUSD Board approved the addition of sixth grade to the Golden West Middle School campus for the 2025–26 school year, setting in motion an accelerated effort to bring new facilities online in less than a year.

  • Children walking along bright school corridor with motion blur

    How Next-Gen Design Is Reshaping the Student Experience

    The environments where students learn play a crucial role in shaping their growth in and out of the classroom. By centering design on well-being, flexibility, and purpose, districts can ensure their facilities remain vibrant community assets for many years to come.