Decorah Elementary Updates
Explore Our Progress
Stay Updated on the New Decorah Elementary School Project Developments
Momentum Builds: Moving Forward Together
Excitement is growing as we are preparing to take the next big step in bringing our new Pre-K to 2nd grade school to life—requesting bids from contractors is just around the corner! This marks a major milestone in a journey that has been shaped by thoughtful planning, community support, and strong collaboration.
Over the past several months, the design and development process has been a true team effort. The Miron Construction Team, Emergent Design Team, and our School & Board Leadership Team have worked hand-in-hand to ensure the new school reflects the values, needs, and aspirations of the Decorah community.
This new facility will replace John Cline Elementary and West Side Early Childhood Center, offering modern, flexible spaces that foster creativity, exploration, and growth for our youngest learners. It’s more than a building—it’s a foundation for future generations.
We’re proud of the progress and grateful for the partnerships that have brought us to this point.
Stay tuned as we move into the next phase of construction, there’s much more to come!
Decorah Community School District, Board of Education
STAFF ENGAGEMENT: Collaboration Shapes New School
As we prepare to request contractor bids, momentum continues to build for Decorah’s new Pre-K to 2nd grade school. At the heart of this progress is a deeply collaborative design process, shaped by the insight and expertise of our dedicated staff.
Beginning in April, educators and staff engaged in four phases of Design Development (DD) meetings, reviewing layouts and learning spaces to ensure the building reflects how students learn and how teams teach. From classroom flow and natural light to flexible furniture and storage, staff feedback helped refine every detail.
Highlights include:
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DD1 & DD2: Foundational ideas and key adjustments, like Kindergarten’s choice to prioritize student-accessible bathrooms.
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DD3 & DD4: Final refinements to areas like Guidance, Media Center, Special Education, and ELL, ensuring every space meets real-world needs.
This collaborative effort, led by Emergent, Miron and our School & Board Leadership Team, has resulted in a design that’s both inspiring and adaptable for generations to come.
Stay tuned, construction is on the horizon!
MEET THE DISTRICT PARTNERS
We are excited about the exceptional partners we have on board to help guide us through this process. Emergent Architecture and Miron Construction bring unparalleled expertise to educational facility design and construction. Together, they will work closely to create the best building for our students, staff, and community.
