In 2014 Williston was the epicenter of the explosive growth resulting from the technological advances in oil development in Western North Dakota. The district faced capacity concerns at their existing buildings with local demographic projections for the city of Williston projected a total population growth of 94.7% over a seven-year window. The new 195,000 sf high school alleviated capacity concerns in the district and included classrooms, support spaces, and vocational spaces, with a state-of-the-art auditorium and competition gymnasium.
Career and Technical Education A separate 20,000 SF career and technical education (CTE) building with four trade shops including Vo-Ag, building trades, automotive, and diesel mechanic shops completed the school campus. It also included four classrooms for meat lab, tech lab, health and science classrooms and a 900 SF greenhouse. Community engagement and local industry partners helped drive the curriculum and space requirements to reflect real world working environments. The goal was to create a program that would provide students the necessary certification to go directly to work in their field of choice after graduation.
Plan for the Future This building is the new jewel in the school district, with banks of glass windows offering spectacular views of the surrounding environment. The location of the new high school was a critical part of the district wide master plan that was completed prior to design of the high school. The new high school would be situated in the growing area of the community and would become the new center of the community. The 40-acre site was also master planned to accommodate future areas for building expansion. With enrollments continuing to climb after the building opened in 2016, a classroom addition was completed in 2020 and the district is embarking on an expansion of their CTE department funded through state grants.
Center Stage The state of the art Fine Arts facility has become a community hub for performance. The new facilities allowed the district to expand existing band and choir programming as well as open new performing arts department.
