At Wold, we work with school districts to design spaces that holistically shape student and staff experiences while enhancing the impact of the curriculum and student involvement. For Owatonna Public Schools, the need for a new school created a significant opportunity for the district as it sought to open up opportunities for students to gain career readiness at the high school level and have them stay in the community after graduation to enrich the local workforce. We were fortunate to work alongside the district and local businesses to imagine and create a state-of-the-art facility to prepare students for careers that support the unique needs of the Owatonna community.
High school students often feel the pull of new horizons, choosing to relocate out of their hometowns for college or careers. Instead, Owatonna wanted to empower students to pursue careers that fit their aspirations while applying their education in the community that raised them. As a regional center, the city of Owatonna is ready-made for emerging young professionals to succeed financially, boasting a thriving local economy and a variety of industries. To help the community enrich the talent pool in the local workforce, our team sought to design career-oriented programming spaces centered around local opportunities at a remarkable new high school.
Years before work could begin on the new high school, Owatonna Public Schools had other hurdles to clear. After failed referendums in previous decades, a successful bond referendum in 2014 finally allowed the district to address key elementary and middle school improvements. Following its successful passing, our team was engaged to facilitate a Community Task Force to address additional high school needs. This group reviewed information about the existing building, including its challenges in providing students with the desired learning experiences, the significant amount of maintenance needed and the spatial constraints that a 100-year-old building presents for curriculum, onsite parking and activities. After discussions, tours, community input and surveying, the Task Force recommended that the district seek voter approval for a new high school, which was approved in late 2019.
“It was a rather bold move,” said Mark Sebring, Board Chair of Owatonna Public Schools, noting that the community’s sentimental investment in the iconic previous high school initially made it difficult to envision a new one. “To put the elementary schools and middle school ahead of that initiative was brilliant. If we had passed a high school bond issue first, we would’ve never been able to make the improvements to our elementary and middle school format.”
Once the district was approved to move forward with a new high school design, we engaged local stakeholders by assembling a core planning group, including hundreds of voices from staff, students, community members and local businesses of all sizes, to help develop the building’s design and integrate the community’s values into the layout. After setting the foundation for the elementary and middle school improvements, our team’s historical knowledge of the district’s goals for the future made us the right choice to work with the community to reimagine what their high school could be. In doing so, we sought to honor the century-long legacy of the previous high school by embracing old traditions while breaking ground on new ones by incorporating innovative elements of our approach to modern learning into the new school.
The resulting building is defined by collaboration and adaptability – appropriate foundations for a school that seeks to facilitate partnerships with local industries. Measuring 316,000 square feet and accommodating a student body of up to 1,600, the school’s design is safe and welcoming to all. The impressive commons displays hands-on learning while highlighting the three diverse career pathways Owatonna has to offer students. The career-oriented programming includes spaces designed for specialized science labs, nursing, engineering and technology, culinary arts, music, business and more. These small learning communities align with students’ needs and interests, providing them with the tools and environments that expose them to the industries most prevalent in their community.
The commons also brings daylight to the labs and classrooms by leveraging floor-to-ceiling windows and helps make the building easily navigable and mental health-friendly by creating a central gathering point at the heart of the building. Complete with Learning Studios, abundant student life amenities and flexible spaces that empower teachers to seamlessly transition classrooms from one discipline to another, the dynamic campus helps each student maximize the capabilities of a modern learning environment.
The essence of the district’s mission to connect its local businesses with the next generation of skilled workers spurred the addition of unique design elements and layouts throughout the school inspired by the city’s geography. The breadth of the community’s industries is visible as Learning Studios and flexible career labs, designed to mirror real-world simulated working environments, that cluster around the center of “town.” The common area embodies the colors and textures of downtown Owatonna, using materials that evoke nature and the nearby Straight River. To further embrace the city's spirit, we worked with the district to identify opportunities for the community to enjoy the campus outside of school hours. We sought to provide a strong return on the community’s tax dollar investment, making the walking track available to local senior citizens each weeknight and encouraging community use of athletic facilities for tournaments and recreation.
“For districts looking to impact their community in the design of a new school, stakeholder involvement is key,” said Bob Olson, Director of Facilities at Owatonna Public Schools. “With Wold, we worked to center community needs and communicate regularly and transparently about the design and construction process. Wold’s help in designing spaces to encourage partnerships with local businesses created opportunities for students to connect their passions to their learning, and we’re thrilled to have such a robust slate of offerings to help them pour back into the community.”
Owatonna High School represents more than just a modern educational facility: it is a testament to the power of strategic planning with local stakeholders. Our design approach centered on embracing both tradition and innovation, promoting student choice and fostering ownership over their learning experiences. By incorporating Learning Studios, flex spaces and career-oriented labs, we created an environment where students can explore their interests and develop skills that serve their career aspirations and encourage them to reinvest in their community.
Is your district looking to invest in the local community with career-oriented programming and spaces to fit your needs? Contact us today to learn more about how Wold’s education team can help you serve your unique community through a modern learning environment.
