Nashwauk-Keewatin Public Schools

Project Details:

On February 8, 2022, residents of Nashwauk-Keewatin Public Schools approved two ballot questions that will build a new PreK-12 school building and adjacent community wellness center. The total bonding cost is approximately $47.7 million ($42 million for Question 1 and an additional $5.7 million for Question 2).

Question 1 sought approximately $42 million to build a new PreK-12 school. The school will be located on 42 acres of land donated to the district by U.S. Steel Corporation on Highway 169, immediately west of the O’Brien Reservoir.

The new PreK-12 school will be designed to accommodate two sections per grade and include dedicated space for arts and technical education, special education, and music and theater programs. A centralized commons space and three-station gymnasium will also significantly enhance the district’s capability to host sporting events, practices, and community gatherings. The two connected buildings will total approximately 130,000 square feet.

Other features of the new school include a secured, easily-monitored entry space that regulates access to both school and community spaces, a full kitchen and cafeteria, media and technology workspace, office space for the district, dedicated green space for outdoor learning, large windows to maximize natural daylight, and a separate pickup/drop-off lanes for buses and cars.

In Question Two, voters approved $5.7 million for a community wellness center. The community wellness center will be separate from the PreK-12 school but share the same secure entrance and certain fitness spaces. The center will feature several publicly accessible resources for members of the broader Nashwauk-Keewatin community, including a community library, a community fitness area, a walking track, a community meeting space, and a student-run coffee shop.