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At the Cardinal Pride “Generations of Excellence” event Saturday at the LHS performing arts center, audience members viewed what’s next for Luverne Public Schools.
Hosted by current school superintendent Craig Oftedahl, the event featured vocal and piano performances by future and past LHS graduates.
Oftedahl took audience members on a look back at the recently completed construction project.
A 15-minute photo montage included pictures of the performing arts center at various phases of construction.
He also showed the 75 people in the audience what’s next at Luverne Public Schools.
“The next item I am looking at for school improvement is a big dream,” he said.
“I want to look at turf on our football field.”
A turf field benefits several of the school’s departments and programs, Oftedahl said.
“The field would obviously benefit the football program, but it also could used as an outdoor classroom by our physical education department and out music department,” Oftedahl said.
The baseball and softball teams could have their early season practice on the turf and the golf program could also get early season swings in.
The turf would also be a community benefit.
“We have been told by several large schools in Sioux Falls that they will no longer compete in Luverne at the Tri-State Band Festival because we do not have turf,” Oftedahl said.
“Not only will it help continue drawing bands in for Tri-State, it will be used extensively by our own marching band for practice.”
The change from a grass infield to turf would also be the time the district would look at replacing the visitors’ bleachers and adding a multi-use fieldhouse and storage facility west of the home bleachers.
“I believe it is important to not get stagnant and keep trying to improve the opportunities for the next generation of Cardinals,” Oftedahl said.
No costs were mentioned with “the big dream” but there was an appeal to the public for contributions through the Luverne Education Legacy Fund.
Garden, signage project coming in 2023
Delays in receiving the black granite pushed the start of the Alumni Garden project to 2023.
Superintendent Oftedahl said the $1.5 million garden south of the middle-high school canopy, is a gift from Warren Herreid II and Jeannine Rivet.
The garden and outdoor classroom project is slated to be finished next summer in time for the inaugural Luverne School Hall of Fame induction in October.
“That focal point will be a large piece of black granite from Cold Spring, Minnesota, with the names engraved indicating their arrival in the Luverne School Hall of Fame,” Oftedahl said.
Nominations will be accepted through Jan. 31, 2023. Forms are available at the district office.
New front lawn signage along Highway 75 is also planned for the school. The current sign is inoperable and cannot be repaired due to its obsolete design.