By Greg Cromer听

Public school systems across the country are entering a period of sustained enrollment decline, driven by a convergence of demographic and behavioral shifts, particularly听evident听along Colorado鈥檚 Front Range.听As explained in Part I of this article, Colorado听is projected to lose more than 15,000 children ages 0鈥�17听over the next five years, due to factors such as听persistently low birth rates, high housing costs, an aging听population听and slower immigration.听

Online programs, private schools or homeschooling offer further competition for public schools across the country, helping to accelerate enrollment losses that exceeded 10,000 students this year alone, the largest drop since COVID-19. 听

Part I of this article discussed how听declining听enrollment听across the nation听is forcing听leaders to consider听consolidation,听closures听and replacement. However, this shift is also听creating听opportunities听to modernize aging facilities and rethink how space supports evolving educational models, from flexible, data-informed facility plans听to right-sizing听school capacity through consolidation and reconfiguration. Read further recommendations here:听

Establish Shared Understanding to Align Community and System Needs听

Engaging communities in school closures or consolidation is one of the most challenging responsibilities for school boards because it sits at the intersection of personal impact and systemwide necessity. Families often focus on identity, commute听changes听and neighborhood stability, while districts must address enrollment decline, underused facilities, financial听pressure听and equity. Bridging this gap requires transparent, data-driven storytelling that connects individual decisions to broader trends while also acknowledging the real loss communities feel鈥攁n essential step in听maintaining听trust.听

These decisions also require courage from district leaders, as delays or inaction can deepen inequities and strain limited resources. The transition also offers a powerful opportunity for community renewal by reimagining school identity through a new name, mascot,听colors听or symbols, which allows architectural teams to embed that identity into the built environment and shape a unifying community asset.听

Additionally, districts are increasingly designing schools for flexibility from the outset by positioning facilities as civic assets. Through adaptable layouts and coordinated shared-use spaces like flexible commons, gyms or auditoriums, schools can better serve both students and communities year-round, maximizing public investment and long-term value. This approach positions facilities not as static assets, but as adaptable infrastructure and dynamic tools that can continue to deliver student success and community buy-in.听

Unlock听Value in听Existing听Assets听

Reframing existing school assets is a key strategy for districts facing enrollment decline and uneven听utilization, shifting underused schools from excess capacity to flexible hubs that can be repurposed to meet emerging needs. Converting space for early childhood education, expanding special education or alternative programs, co-locating community services and even exploring workforce housing to support educator recruitment and retention can make an impact. Alongside physical reuse, specialized models such as STEM, Career and Technical Education (CTE) or arts-focused programs can also re-energize underenrolled facilities by drawing students across traditional boundaries.听

Partnering with architecture and design firms can help reimagine and maximize the value of existing assets. Consider repurposing underutilized wings into collaboration zones, student听services听or community spaces. At Sheridan High School, the design team revitalized an abandoned pool building into a trades skills workshop where students could work alongside trade professionals to develop hands-on skills in carpentry, plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems.听

Districts such as Aurora Public Schools are leaning into programmatic strategies to attract and听retain听students in a competitive enrollment landscape. As choice expands and demographic pressures intensify, districts are moving beyond boundary-based enrollment to emphasize what makes each school distinct. This includes developing and branding focus-based schools built around themes, specialized听programming听or community partnerships to create a clear value proposition for families. For example, in response to shifting enrollment patterns, the Clara Brown Entrepreneurial Academy leaned into its identity rooted in entrepreneurship and innovation, using its programmatic focus to differentiate itself and re-engage families.听

Designing for听consolidation and future repurposing is essential to creating resilient school environments that attract and听retain听students. Flexibility helps future-proof facilities against demographic shifts, funding听changes听and broader disruptions, enabling districts to respond to enrollment changes without stranded assets and keeping buildings relevant and impactful over time.听

Greg Cromer is an education practice leader at听Wold听Architects and Engineers with more than 40 years of experience designing K鈥�12 learning environments. He can be reached via email at听gcromer@woldae.com.听

Get more weekly reports and听timely听updates by subscribing for free at听schoolconstructionnews.com/subscribe.听

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鈥淏ryan, Ellis, Cody and Dylan have each proven themselves as critical members of our firm, and we鈥檙e confident their effect on our听leadership听team听will only push听Wold鈥檚 work听to听ever-higher standards. Growing our听leadership听team听in Colorado especially allows us听to听better serve clients throughout the region,鈥� said CEO Vaughn Dierks, AIA, LEED AP. 鈥淭he skill and passion this group brings听to听every project听to听continue creating lasting impact for the communities we serve. As new leaders, we know they will only continue听to听grow in their influence and innovative practice across Colorado, Minnesota and beyond.鈥�

Since joining听Wold听in 2020, Hicks has worked across the firm鈥檚 education and government specialties听to听develop a unique cross-functional perspective. No matter the project, he has a passion for human-centered design that enhances a sense of place and encourages community for occupants. As both an architect and a project manager, he is driven听to听exceed client needs through collaboration and durable, strategic design. He earned his bachelor鈥檚 in architecture from Miami University and his master鈥檚 in architecture from the University of Michigan.

Joyner鈥檚 wide-ranging project experience, from airport and school renovations听to听residential construction and food services, has sharpened his ability听to听drive innovation on听Wold鈥檚 in-house engineering听team. His听leadership听on our in-house engineering听team听creates a seamless, collaborative experience for our clients that enhances accuracy, increases efficiency and accelerates timelines. His attention听to听detail delivers successful projects on time and听to听the highest standards. He earned his bachelor鈥檚 in electrical engineering from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs.

With 20 years of experience, Knoblock leverages his expertise in architecture, project management and construction administration听to听service clients. His broad expertise has cultivated a deep understanding of every step of the design and construction phases that allows him听to听translate ideas from construction documents into quality craftsmanship in every completed project. He is especially skilled in guiding clients in sustainable systems and material selection that听promotes听a green approach听to听facility improvements. He graduated from Norwich University with a bachelor鈥檚 in architectural studies.

Sullivan is an education project manager fueled by collaboration that empowers clients听to听contribute听to听meaningful design solutions. His solutions-oriented approach has facilitated the successful delivery of projects ranging from new builds听to听complex additions and renovations, all intentionally designed听to听elevate the user experience in the built environment. He earned his bachelor鈥檚 degree in architecture from North Dakota State University.

Get more weekly reports and timely updates by subscribing for free at听schoolconstructionnews.com/subscribe.

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By听听

The recently completed transformation of Tartan High School in Oakdale,听Minn.,听shows how districts can modernize an aging campus while meeting expectations for flexibility, student听well-being听and equity.听听

Rather than replacing the school, the district pursued an addition and renovation strategy that kept the campus听operating听on its existing site, reducing both cost and waste. Voters approved the work in spring 2019 as part of a districtwide effort that also included another local high school and set shared goals for both projects: strengthen safety and security, increase capacity at each high school to 1,800 students and create more flexible teaching and learning spaces. While the two buildings presented different constraints, the designers,听, were tasked with creating听an equitable听student experience, regardless of which high school students attend.听

鈥淢odernization can support equity when districts are clear about the听experience听they want every student to have,鈥� said听Wold听Education Practice Leader Sal Bagley. 鈥淚t鈥檚听about more than updating finishes.听It鈥檚听about removing barriers and creating听additional听opportunities for听connection.鈥�听

The听Challenge: An outdated layout听

Originally designed in 1969, Tartan featured two classroom 鈥渃ircles鈥� of wedge-shaped rooms organized around central circular corridors. Interviews with students and staff surfaced operational issues familiar to many districts. Wayfinding was unclear. Major gathering spaces, such as the cafeteria, were constrained in single-story volumes. Classrooms were undersized and served by narrow corridors, contributing to congestion during passing times.听听

The building also struggled to meet current expectations for well-being. Daylight was limited to narrow slot windows, and many learning spaces were fully interior with no access to natural light. Low structural heights resulted in limited options for modernizing HVAC systems. The cafeteria lacked enough seating, pushing some students to eat in their cars. Student resources were scattered throughout the building, adding friction for students trying to access support within a busy school day.听

These conditions are common in legacy schools: the building functions, but it does not support how the school currently needs to听operate. Frequent priorities center around reducing congestion, improving听clarity听and creating healthier, more welcoming spaces.听

Design that听Focused on听the听Student听Experience听

From the start, the project incorporated student and staff input to shape choices that affected daily routines. They provided months of feedback, including surveys on lockers, a departmental versus interdepartmental听model听and thoughts on restroom design. That input helped the team focus on comfort,听openness听and security in ways users would notice.听

鈥淔or a renovation to make a lasting impact, it听has to听show up in the moments students feel most. That means enhancing the experience when听they鈥檙e arriving听at school, passing time, eating听lunch听and seeking support,鈥� Bagley said.听

A defining aspect at Tartan was a centralized, daylight-filled听commons听designed to improve dining and gathering. The existing gymnasium,听located听at the center of the plan, was renovated into the student听commons by adding floors and increasing access to natural light. Smaller spaces听branch off听the commons to support student groups and activities or clubs.听

Academic spaces were also upgraded to adapt as programs evolve. New classrooms were constructed to the north of the building and organized in a departmental model, with flexible options to combine rooms for different group sizes. After the school moved into these new areas, the existing classroom 鈥渃ircles鈥� could be replaced with a clear main entrance aligned with the district鈥檚 safety and security standards. Additionally, modern activities and athletic spaces were added to support practice and competition needs for students and spectators鈥� experiences.听

Planning for听Performance and听Continuity听

Modernization should support reliable operations for decades. At Tartan, infrastructure was听aging听and maintenance costs were rising. Systems from the heating plant to air distribution,听roofing听and electrical distribution were updated or replaced to extend the life of renovated areas and improve occupant comfort.听

At the same time, the district faced a challenge many communities share 鈥� it needed to renovate without closing the school. Tartan remained open through a 14-phase plan from spring 2022 through summer 2025, with new areas coming online as other sections were updated or demolished. Students and staff听relocated听at times, making regular communication critical to managing disruption.听

鈥淧hasing goes beyond a construction schedule to plan operations,听鈥� Bagley听said. 鈥淚t was important that students didn鈥檛 miss out on learning because of disruptions.鈥澨�听

What听Other听Districts听Can听Learn听

Tartan鈥檚 experience offers practical lessons for other districts. Projects should start by defining the student experience you want to improve, then听use听student and staff input to confirm what is not working and what matters most. Prioritize changes that reduce daily friction, such as clearer circulation or shared spaces that support connection and more consistent access to daylight. Build flexibility into academic planning so spaces can adapt as teaching models and enrollment change. In an older building, that may mean targeted new construction paired with selective demolition and replacement of the most limiting parts of the plan.听

Treat infrastructure upgrades as essential, not optional. A school cannot deliver on comfort and well-being if the systems that heat, cool and听power it听are听unreliable or outdated. Finally, if the school must stay open, plan phasing around instruction and communicate it consistently. Predictable updates and clear expectations can reduce stress for students and staff while building trust with families.听

Modernization as a听Tool,听Not听a听Compromise听

In early 2026, Tartan received the top award from the Minnesota Construction Association for addition and renovation projects, recognized for its project鈥檚 complexity and success. More important than听the recognition听is what the project听demonstrates听for districts facing similar conditions: addition and renovation can be a strategic alternative to full replacement when the goal is to modernize a campus, improve the student experience and extend the life of a building.听

Tartan鈥檚 transformation shows that reinvesting in a legacy facility can move beyond patchwork improvements. With clear experience goals, flexible learning spaces, upgraded infrastructure and听disciplined phasing, districts can deliver a modern school environment while keeping students learning on site.听

Sal Bagley is an Education Practice Leader for听Wold听Architects & Engineers.听

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Cromer brings more than 40 years of experience designing K鈥�12 learning environments that reflect the unique character and needs of their communities. A recognized architectural leader in the Colorado education market, he has partnered with school districts across the state to deliver facilities that strengthen communities and support long-term academic success.听He earned his Bachelor of Architecture from Kansas State University, and his career includes leadership roles at DLR Group and Klipp Architecture.听

“We are thrilled to welcome Greg to our team as we continue to grow our Colorado office and strengthen our mission of making a difference in the communities we serve,” said Wold Chief Executive Officer Vaughn Dierks in a statement. “His deep understanding of Colorado鈥檚 educational landscape and commitment to creating meaningful learning environments make him a tremendous asset to our clients and partners.”听听

Known for his thoughtful approach and collaborative spirit, Cromer excels at guiding clients through complex capital projects, from concept to construction, while fostering teamwork and mentoring future design leaders. In his new role, Cromer will collaborate with district leaders across Colorado to design educational facilities that create lasting impact while empowering students, supporting educators and strengthening the fabric of local communities. He brings a proven track record in growing design practices, engaging stakeholders and delivering meaningful results that will help advance Wold鈥檚 commitment to purposeful, human-centered school design.听

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OWATONNA, Minn.鈥擜 $99 million high school has been realized in this town located approximately 70 miles south of the Twin Cities. Construction commenced in May 2021 on the three-story school, whose campus also includes a football stadium, tennis courts, physical education building, auditorium, 鈥渢own square鈥� and outdoor athletic fields. Companies such as Federated Insurance and Mayo Clinic Health System contributed funds to the project.

The 317,000-square-foot Owatonna High School, located at 1455 SE 18th St., was designed by Wold Architects and Engineers to hold 1,600 students. Their design includes industrial arts laboratories and tech shop classrooms, as well as a centrally located cafeteria. Among the types of career paths students can learn about at Owatonna High are nursing, publishing and digital media, culinary arts, and engineering. By offering career-education classes, the local Owatonna community is hoping to retain skilled workers upon graduation rather than lose them to larger cities.

鈥淔ollowing years of working alongside many incredible local businesses, partners, staff and students, we are thrilled to finally open Owatonna High School and watch our students excel,鈥� Jeff Elstad, superintendent at Owatonna Public Schools, said of the new high school. 鈥淭his school will help them foster a sense of community and ownership over their learning in an innovative and inspiring environment while serving as a source of excitement and pride for the city of Owatonna.鈥�

Wold worked in concert with construction manager Kraus-Anderson to realize the project. The two firms collaborated to fashion a school built of precast concrete and structural steel. The facade comprises brick and metal panels as well as glazing that allows in as much natural light as feasible. Architectural flourishes on the interior include terrazzo flooring, hardwood and metal panels covering the column wraps, as well as prefinished interior panels within the auditorium.

The exterior of Owatonna High includes four athletic storage buildings as well as a parking lot that can hold nearly 1,000 vehicles.

鈥淲e鈥檙e grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with the district and local voices to create a school that reflects the community it serves,鈥� said Paul Aplikowski, partner at Wold. 鈥淲e are excited to see how this school realizes the district鈥檚 vision for education for many years to come and becomes a role model for the area in high school education.鈥�

鈥淥watonna Public Schools has been a fantastic partner during the entire construction process, where close communication and coordination was needed to meet all expectations,鈥� said Michael Stenbeck, KA鈥檚 project manager. 鈥淚t has been amazing to witness jaws drop as students and the community walk into the new facility. We are so proud to be a part of this project.鈥�

Stenbeck added that managing ongoing supply chain issues was an issue for the project. 鈥淲e maintained close communications and collaboration with all of our partners and subs to manage delivery expectations,鈥� he said in an email sent to 糖心少女.

鈥淥ne of the most rewarding parts of this project was seeing the Owatonna community rally together to turn the dream of a new high school into reality,鈥� Sal Bagley, partner at Wold, informed 糖心少女. 鈥淔rom the successful [bond referendum] to the unprecedented support from local businesses in the form of donations and programming involvement, the full community truly inspired the unique and reflective design of this landmark school.鈥�

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MANZANOLA, Colo.鈥擜 historic high school building in the southeast of the Centennial State has been given a 21st century facelift. The Manzanola Junior/Senior High School鈥攂uilt in 1925 according to designs by noted Colorado architect Temple Buell鈥攈as undergone renovations to its older structures as well as the addition of more educational space to accommodate increasing enrollment.

Furthermore, the century-old school building featured rather antiquated climate control, and was also in need of asbestos remediation and various repairs throughout. The Manzanola School District 3J was able to secure $31 million from a BEST grant in 2019 in order to fund the upgrades.

Colorado鈥檚 own Wold Architects and Engineers was hired to redesign Manzanola, and their plans were realized jointly by Nunn Construction and Vanir Construction Management. Part of the architectural redesign by Wold entailed reconfiguring the school around a two-story media center, which served as the proverbial heart of the school. Accordingly, learning spaces were configured to emanate out from that central location along two wings鈥攚hich simultaneously respected Buell鈥檚 initial vision for the school.

The reimagined campus now boasts a 鈥渓earning courtyard鈥� as well as modern facilities for administrative use, physical education and science classes.

鈥淎s a local firm, we are honored to work with the Manzanola School District to revitalize its new community campus and honor the original structure designed by Buell,鈥� Josh Grenier, principal at Wold Architects and Engineers, said in a recent statement. 鈥淭his campus supports a diverse student population that deserves a safe, enriching learning environment, and we are proud to play a role in bringing this important facility to life.鈥�

Added Nancy Westfall, Manzanola School District 3J Superintendent, 鈥淲e have such a bright and deserving student population and couldn鈥檛 be more excited for them to experience the new community campus. These reimagined spaces provide a collaborative learning environment and a safe, secure facility that honors our rural community鈥檚 long, rich history.鈥�

In addition to its offices in Colorado, Wold operates from locations in Tennessee, Illinois and Minnesota. The 2021 Building Design + Construction Giants 400 Report ranked the company number 6 on its annual national list of top architecture-engineering firms.

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ST. PAUL, Minn.鈥擶old Architects and Engineers of St. Paul has a slate of school construction projects planned, both within the capital region as well as in cities throughout the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Wold is working on renovating older facilities as well as constructing new ones to reduce overcrowding.

Wold鈥檚 projects include White Bear Lake High School, to be located in the community also called White Bear Lake, as well as other high schools in Tartan, Oakdale, Owatonna and Mora.

Each of the schools designed by Wold will offer flexible learning spaces (the wisdom of which the covid-19 pandemic has made clear), learning studios and classrooms devoted specifically to technical education.

At White Bear Lake High School, Wold is renovating 285,000 square feet of existing educational space as well working on a 375,000-square-foot addition. When finished, the complement of students that the high school can comfortably house will be over 3,000. A three-story classroom will exist side by side with an 800-seat auditorium, athletics fieldhouse, student commons and specialty laboratories.

The new building, being built by general contractor Kraus-Anderson, will house technical and training programs to help students work toward potential careers in vocational and other courses. The addition is expected to be complete for the fall of 2024.

In addition to White Bear Lake High School, Wold is also working on renovations and upgrades to Tartan and North High Schools (ISD 622), Owatonna High School and Mora High School (ISD 332).

鈥淎s a local firm, we are proud to lead the design of these five high schools to ensure that the academic environment is positioned to help students, educators and faculty thrive,鈥� Vaughn Dierks, partner at Wold Architects and Engineers, said in a recent statement. 鈥淓ach of these school designs has been tailored to the goals of the district, and our team has worked hard to collaboratively create both functional and beautiful spaces that will help accomplish those goals.鈥�

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The SIA, a leading trade association for electronic and physical security solution providers, is comprised of roughly 500 security and alarm firms representing some 300,000 members. The organization advocates for pro-industry policies and legislation, produces global market research, and provides member education and training.

SIA spokesperson April Dalton-Noblitt of Allegion, a home and business security firm based in Carmel, Ind., presented at the event. Dalton-Noblitt highlighted several new products, but keyed in on mass notification systems, access control and systems integration, as well as a need for potential lockdown solutions in the case of an emergency. The presentation was part of a SIA-sponsored panel discussing new developments in school construction, security and financing that school boards should consider when planning and advocating for infrastructure improvements.

“It was encouraging to see that school board members are engaged on this issue and want to make sure security vulnerabilities are addressed early in the planning stages for school construction and renovation,” Dalton-Noblitt said in a statement. “The integration of modern security technology is an essential part of the solution for ensuring our kids are safe and should not be overlooked.”

The SIA has also worked to reinstate federal assistance to schools systems looking to implement new security technology. SIA partnered with the National Systems Contractors Association (NSCA) to form Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS) in October 2014, which develops assessments and best practices for affordable security solutions drawn from security practitioners, law enforcement officials and school administrators. The PASS alliance is now developing guidelines for the use of electronic security and life safety equipment in schools that will provide tiered recommendations based on the resources available at a given facility.

“By drawing upon the insights and expertise of security suppliers, security practitioners, school administrators and law enforcement, the SIA PASS recommendations will enable education officials to maximize the effectiveness of their security solutions,” SIA CEO Don Erickson said in a statement. “I have been continuously impressed by the passion and experience of our committee members, and I particularly appreciate NSCA’s commitment to this initiative. I am hopeful that additional security practitioner, first-responder, and supplier organizations who share our commitment to preventing senseless crime and violence in our nation’s schools will join the PASS coalition.”

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