Built for the Future of Learning
The Cass Lake-Bena School District is excited to share that the district’s new elementary school is complete and ready to welcome students. The new school was designed to meet the needs of 21stcentury education while addressing long-standing infrastructure and space concerns. “This school was built with future generations in mind,” said Superintendent Sue Chase. “We’re not just constructing a building – we're creating an environment where every child can thrive.”
Inside, classrooms support flexible teaching and collaborative learning, including operable whiteboard partitions. The new building features dedicated breakout and small group spaces that foster personalized instruction and student engagement. A new Kindergarten wing ensures the district’s youngest learners have a space tailored just for them, while the return of 5th grade to the elementary school eases crowding at the middle school and provides an optimal learning environment for intermediate students.
Beyond the classroom, the new building improves daily operations with redesigned traffic flow patterns that better accommodate buses and parent drop-offs and pickups, increasing both safety and efficiency. Most important of all, the new school was built to provide every child access to a modern, supportive, and inclusive learning experience.
“Our goal is to remove all the obstacles for our students so they can meet their success,” said Elementary Principal Josh Grover. “We know that the school is the heart of the community, and this project is about producing kids who have no limit – who have every opportunity in life to succeed.”
A Community-Driven Effort
The journey to this new facility began with a successful referendum in November 2022. Working with InGensa,Inc. and LSE Architects, the district quickly prepared bid documents by December 2022. Construction milestones included:
• Site clearance in February 2023 and a groundbreaking ceremony on May 4, 2023
• Footings and precast wall installation from August to December 2023
• Structural steel, roofing, and mechanical and electrical work from late 2023 through 2024
• Interior finishing from September 2024 to April 2025
• Final inspections wrapping up in April to early May 2025
• Playground installation set for May 2025
Thanks to favorable bids, the district was also able to include a second gym bay and an expanded Kindergarten wing in the final design. These are investments that will benefit students and the community for years to come.
Let's Celebrate Together
We’re excited to announce the completion of our new K-5 elementary school building and invite the entire community to join us for a special Cass Lake Bena Open House on Thursday, May 15th from 5:00 to 7:00 PM. Come celebrate this achievement with us as we showcase the new and improved facilities designed to support the future of learning in our district. The event will begin with ribbon cutting and brief remarks from school and community leaders at 5:00 PM, followed by refreshments and a light meal served in the cafeteria at 5:15 PM. Guided tours of the new spaces will start at 5:30 PM. This is a wonderful opportunity for students, families, and the community to explore the upgrades and connect with staff. “We’re excited to share this space with our entire community,” said Superintendent Chase. “This is your school, and we can’t wait for you to see what we’ve built – together.”
For more information, please contact the Cass Lake-Bena School District office at 218-335-2204