Construction Projects

On February 17, 2025, district taxpayers voted on a multi-question special election ballot. With 65.5% approval, Question 1—a $99.7 million package that will address critical projects over the next 1-5 years—received strong support, while the other two questions fell short with 59.1% and 43.0% approval.

This section of our website is dedicated to transparency, offering you detailed updates on the progress and status of the projects funded by Question 1:

Inclusive Playground at Early Childhood Center

Cost:

$550,000

Project Details:

All learners serviced at the Early Childhood Center (ECC) are on an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), which makes this an ideal location to construct an inclusive playground. Inclusive playgrounds are universally designed, sensory-rich environments that enable all children to develop, physically, socially, and emotionally.
The cost includes both the surface and equipment.

Mockup of accessible playground layout and equipment

High School Multipurpose Rooms

Cost:

$3.35 Million

Project Details:

The addition of multipurpose rooms at West Fargo HS and Horace HS would provide a needed space for activities that are too large for standard classrooms, but too small for event spaces like theatres or gymnasiums that are scheduled during the academic day.
Example utilizations include combined classes, career speakers and job fairs, activities and team meetings, training and collaboration, testing, dual credit registration, outside presentations, conferences and district meetings, staff meetings and professional development, instructional activities, community and district events, and student advisory meetings.

Map mockup of multipurpose room locations with a photo of the outside of West Fargo Highschool below

Restroom Improvements

Cost:

$4.95 Million

Project Details:

This project would provide funding to renovate one set of restrooms at each elementary and middle school and two sets at each high school. The renovations would entail transitioning from multiple stalls within one larger room to single stalls that exit into an open, shared handwashing station (pictured below). These renovations will provide safe and secure restroom facilities for all learners.
Impacted Schools: Aurora, Berger, Freedom, Legacy, Brooks Harbor, Lodoen, Osgood, Independence, South, Willow Park, CMS, LMS, SHS, WFHS

a photo of two single stall restrooms that exit into a shared handwashing area

single stall restrooms with a shared handwashing area

Special Education Improvements

Cost:

$2.7 Million

Project Details:

To provide equitable access across the district to meet learners’ individualized needs, many schools require the addition of systemic environmental changes like:
- Individual learning spaces (current solution of using furniture to create small spaces fails to keep educators and learners safe)
- Proximal Bathrooms (provide adequate ADA access and reduce staffing required to cover bathrooming when not close to special education programming)
- De-escalation space (support continuation of learning and safety of learners)
Impacted Schools: Aurora, Berger, Freedom, Harwood, Horace, Independence, Legacy, Osgood, South, Westside, Willow Park, Deer Creek, Eastwood, Brooks Harbor, HMS, CMS, LMS, WFHS, Transition, CHS

mockup of proposed cubicles and sensory rooms with photos of current solutions using furniture

Safety & Security Upgrades

Cost:

$2.55 Million

Project Details:

Video Surveillance - $350,000: Funds would add ~60 cameras and move or re-aim another ~60 to address gaps in coverage that currently exist. Some of the most common locations needing to be addressed are stairwells and playgrounds. Every school in the district was evaluated to identify gaps, and every school will benefit from these funds.
Improved Fire Suppression - $1.4 Million: Many of our schools were constructed at a time when full building sprinkler systems were not required. Through previous large renovation projects, WFPS has been able to add sprinkler systems to all but three sites: Westside, Eastwood, and South Elementary.
Interior Lockdown Doors - $800,000: Funds would add doors in some locations, replace doors and/or hardware in others, and connect/electrify all identified doors to the existing lockdown button. When pressed, the button would then automatically close and lock all exterior doors and these new interior doors at key “pinch points” like academic wings or pods. Heritage MS, Horace HS, and Meadowlark Elementary were built with this feature; all other schools would need to be renovated.

yellow and blue safety buttons and examples of two double sided locking doors

Renovation & Expansion of South Elementary

Cost:

$17.85 Million

Project Details:

The renovation and expansion of South Elementary will align it with the standards in place at other district elementary sites, ensuring the building remains viable in its existing location for the next 40 years. A renovation would be less expensive for taxpayers compared to building a new building.

map mockup of proposed addition to south elementary and relocation of the playground

Expansion of Early Childhood Special Education Services

Cost:

$9.2 Million

Project Details:

The learner population in the district’s Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) preschool has grown nearly 200% in the last decade. On average, the learner population doubles throughout the school year, as learners can begin attending as soon as they turn 3 years old.
Right now, the only location for these services is on the Clayton Lodoen campus near Main Ave, which means the district transports their youngest and most vulnerable learners a significant distance each day.
A southside district elementary school would be expanded by approximately 35% (8 classrooms) to provide space for ECSE services. While a location hasn’t been finalized, strong consideration would be given to adding onto Meadowlark Elementary School.

map mockup highlighting in orange where the proposed expansion would be on existing schools

Completion of Heritage Middle School

Cost:

$22.6 Million

Project Details:

In an effort to balance the total cost of the 2018 package with enrollment projections at that time, the district only requested funds for a middle school that would house 900 learners, knowing that we would eventually need the district’s standard middle school capacity of 1,200 learners.
Heritage is expected to exceed its current capacity by the fall of 2027, so completing the building will provide necessary instructional space and supporting auxiliary spaces for middle school learners in the Hawks feeder system.

computer generated map of expanded rooms to heritage middle school

Completion of Horace High School

Cost:

$36 Million

Project Details:

In an effort to balance the total cost of the 2018 package with enrollment projections at that time, the district only requested funds for a high school that would house 1,050 learners, knowing that we would eventually need the district’s standard high school capacity of 1,550 learners.
Horace High School is expected to exceed its current capacity by the fall of 2027, so completing the building will provide necessary instructional space and supporting auxiliary spaces for high school learners in the Hawks feeder system.

computer generated map of expanded rooms to horace high school

Project Timeline & Cost Estimates

Project	Cost Estimate	Estimated Start Date	Estimated Completion Date
Horace HS: completion of classroom "shells"	$2,221,875	Spring 2025	End of Year 2025
Heritage MS	$22,610,203	Late Summer 2025	Summer 2027
Inclusive Playground @ ECC	$550,000	Fall 2025	Summer 2026
South Elementary Expansion & Renovation	$17,851,155	Early Spring 2026	End of Year 2028
Horace HS: full build-out with multipurpose room	$33,808,671	Late Spring 2026	Summer 2028
Districtwide Renovations: special education, safety and security, restrooms, multipurpose room @ West Fargo HS	$13,489,330	Fall 2026	School-Specific
Early Childhood Special Education Program Expansion	$9,168,766	TBD	TBD

Updated: 2/24/25

Canvassing Special Election Results

March 3, 2025 > Board approval of the election results
- The Board voted to:
  - accept and count 32 ballots received after the election but postmarked on or before February 16 and to reject one because the signatures did not match.
  - accept and count one ballot that initially had an incorrect absentee application but was corrected appropriately.
  - reject and not count ten ballots that were received after the election and were postmarked after the legal mailing deadline.
  - reject and not count six ballots that were set aside on election day and no supplemental documentation was presented before canvassing.
  - accept the final election results from the preliminary vote totals on February 17 with the additional 33 ballots approved during canvassing.
  - accept the final results of the votes cast in the February 17, 2025, election including the final disposition of rejected ballots and absentee ballots postmarked prior to the election but received late.

Reimbursement Resolution

March 10, 2025 > Board approval of a reimbursement resolution
- The School District desires to comply with the Regulations in order to preserve the option for the School District to be reimbursed for certain expenditures from the proceeds of tax-exempt bonds. The total cost of the Project, to be paid by the School District, is estimated to be approximately $99,700,000. The School District currently expects to pay a portion of the cost from funds on hand until the School District can be reimbursed for such expenditures from the proceeds of bonds.
- This Resolution serves as the School District's official declaration of its intent to reimburse itself for prior expenditures from the proceeds of a subsequent issue of tax-exempt bonds no later than 60 days after making such expenditures, (ii) the bonds be issued within 18 months after making an expenditure or within 18 months after the project is placed in service,
  but in no event more than three years after the date the original expenditure was made, and (iii) the expenditure be either a capital expenditure or a cost of issuance of the bonds.

Resources

2025 Bond Referendum

2024 Facilities Planning 2.0 Taskforce

District Enrollment

Tax Impact Calculator

Logo Image

Logo Title

In This Section

In This Section

Construction Projects

Inclusive Playground at Early Childhood Center

Cost:

Project Details:

High School Multipurpose Rooms

Cost:

Project Details:

Restroom Improvements

Cost:

Project Details:

Special Education Improvements

Cost:

Project Details:

Safety & Security Upgrades

Cost:

Project Details:

Renovation & Expansion of South Elementary

Cost:

Project Details:

Expansion of Early Childhood Special Education Services

Cost:

Project Details:

Completion of Heritage Middle School

Cost:

Project Details:

Completion of Horace High School

Cost:

Project Details:

Project Timeline & Cost Estimates

Board Actions Related to Referendum

Canvassing Special Election Results

Reimbursement Resolution

Resources

Logo Image

Logo Title

Links & Resources