Ground has been broken on a new Wadena High School.  The former school was destroyed by a tornado on June 17, 2010.  The new school will go on the same location as the previous school.

From WDC Schools:

The first ceremonial shovel of dirt for the new Wadena-Deer Creek middle/high school building was turned over on Friday, May 6 in front of a large audience on a beautiful spring afternoon.

Highlights of the program included remarks from Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Congressman Chip Cravaack, who both commended the school and the three communities of Wadena, Deer Creek and Bluffton for their resilience and perseverance after the June 17th, 2010 tornado.

Other speakers included WDC Superintendent Virginia Dahlstrom, WDC High School Principal Tyler Church and WDC School Board President Ann Pate. The WDC Honor Choir and Band also played for the audience.

Construction on the new school is scheduled to begin in May and will be built on the same location of the former high school. The $38 million project is set to be completed by the fall of 2012.

The former high school, built in 1965, was severely damaged by the June 17, 2010 tornado which ripped through Wadena and the surrounding area. The cost of the building project is being funded by insurance.

The school is being considered a "high-performance school" by Perkins+ Will, the school's architect. High performance schools are specifically designed to create a healthy environment for learning while saving money and the environment.