In 1921, Jacobson and Jacobson established the Owatonna High School in the community of Owatonna. However, the establishment of OHS stretched until Nov. 9, 2019. The community voted to develop and construct a new OHS. Furthermore, the Owatonna Public Schools opened the new OHS on Sept. 23, 2023 to the public.
The new OHS has been in the school district for three-months. The value of the new OHS is not centered around the building, but the experiences of students and staff members in the building.
As the new OHS entered the school district, the building was prefigured around a particular design. However, as the new OHS developed over three-months, students have redesigned the building. In particular, classrooms and common-areas throughout the building have been reoriented to reflect student interests. For example, the Viracon Learning Commons and flex-spaces throughout the building have furniture reorganized for group-projects. The new OHS is redesigned around student interests.
The development of the new OHS is also centered around student experiences of school traditions. Students have reintroduced school traditions into the new OHS. Specifically, students have continued the tradition of the homecoming parade and homecoming game. However, students have also integrated new school traditions: the homecoming dance was transitioned from Owatonna Middle School to the new OHS. The 2023 Homecoming Dance had over 800 attendees, which is a record attendance in contrast to prior years. In the reconfiguration of the new OHS and the preservation of school traditions, the value of the building has been centered around the experience of students.
The experiences of staff members are also essential to comprehending the value of the new OHS.
My experience is that it’s easier to engage and interact with students. At every turn, I’m seeing students engaged in learning because of the common-areas, glass-areas, and flex-spaces. I think that has helped teachers and I interact with students.”
— OHS Principal Mr. Kory Kath
As three-months have passed throughout the new OHS, staff members have been recentering themselves around students. In particular, staff members have navigated the relationship between students and the new OHS. Furthermore, staff members have observed that redeveloping relationships with students have improved due to the environment that the new OHS poses. OHS Principal Mr. Kory Kath said, “My experience is that it’s easier to engage and interact with students. At every turn, I’m seeing students engaged in learning because of the common-areas, glass-areas, and flex-spaces. I think that has helped teachers and I interact with students.” The development of student relationships with staff members presents the value of the building.
The new OHS has been in the school district for a few months. Students have been reorganizing and preserving school traditions to the development of student relationships with staff members to refine the value of the new OHS as opposed to the building-in-itself. The hope is for students and staff members to continue to refine the value of the new OHS for years to come.
