As a result of the community-based Long-Range Planning Facilitation conducted by GLTArchitects, the community passed a referendum to build a new PK-8 school in St. Joseph to address rapid growth in that area of the St. Cloud Area Schools District. GLTArchitects was hired to design a school that would serve 755 students, have approximately 137,000 square feet and to be constructed on a 71-acre site in St. Joseph, MN.

Even though the school is large, the community desired a school that would be family-friendly and have the community aspects of a smaller school. To accomplish this, the grade levels were separated into three learning communities – PK-2, Grades 3-5, and Grades 6-8, arranged around a central core. Safety was also a consideration, so the school was designed so that bus and car traffic were separated, and only one entry is used for both daytime and nighttime activities.

GLTArchitects’ Green design of Kennedy Community School drew national acclaim when it was featured in a CNN Money segment. The building was also awarded the Project of the Year – Green or Sustainable Project from the MN Construction Association and Best New Green Project in the Midwest Region by Real Estate and Construction Review.

The project was constructed under a fast-track process, and the school has been awarded LEED Gold certification. The building was also designed to earn the ENERGY STAR.