Long overdue for renovation, Apollo High School, St. Cloud Area School District’s north side secondary school, is getting an upgrade to support This Century learning and design standards. Culminating over a decade of designs and multiple failed referendums, the District successfully passed the current levy this past April.
The District envisions a vibrant hub of CTE spaces at the core of the building, putting hands-on learning on display. New spaces include a leading-edge culinary lab and dedicated CNA and EMR/EMT labs, complete with an ambulance for simulations. The music suite and science labs will undergo a refresh and a much-needed expansion of the kitchen, bringing new opportunities for students. Safety and security upgrades are included in the refresh, with a new controlled entrance and a multi-purpose gym serving as a storm shelter. On the site, a separate indoor athletics facility will be built to support district-wide activities, along with updates to outdoor recreation fields.
Construction will commence late summer 2026 with a continuous two-year overall construction timeline. The complexity of the project requires six different phases across the 350,000 SF building and campus. Throughout the design and planning process, JLG and the construction management team worked diligently with the District to ensure student learning, as well as safety and security would be uninterrupted over the course of the project.
As a classic example of post-modern concrete architecture from the 1970s, the refreshed design updates the exterior while thoughtfully balancing the original concrete elements with new materials, introducing a touch of whimsy to a warm and bright environment. A highlight of the renovation is the display of a test capsule from the Apollo space program, honoring the school’s namesake. Suspended in the new entry, the capsule will welcome students with a constellation of surrounding lights, inspiring daily wonder and fostering Eagle pride.
