The Minnetonka School District broke ground on the first school building in 55 years on Thursday, May 5, 2022. The 36,300-square-foot VANTAGE/MOMENTUM Building will house the school district’s signature and recently expanded VANTAGE and MOMENTUM programs, focused on professional studies and on design and skilled trades, respectively. It is expected to open fall of 2023.

More than 50 people attended the groundbreaking of the new building, which took place at 5735 County Road 101 in Minnetonka, which is located on the corner of MN State Hwy 62 and County Road 101 in Minnetonka. City of Minnetonka Mayor Brad Wiersum, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Dennis Peterson and Minnetonka School Board Chair Chris Vitale spoke about the significance of this build and how the growing programs that will be housed in it have created incredible opportunities for students.  Then, the School Board, Mayor Wiersum and Superintendent Peterson broke ground p> “This is a monumental day for Minnetonka Schools,” said Chris Vitale, Minnetonka School Board Chair. “As we break ground, we are ushering in the next chapter for the VANTAGE and MOMENTUM programs and opening up new opportunities for students. With VANTAGE alone, in less than a decade, the program has grown so large it’s busting at the seams—with more than 500 students planning to take a VANTAGE course next fall. This new building is the result of that growth and interest.”

“We are grateful for all of the people who have come together to make the VANTAGE and MOMENTUM programs such a success. From the businesses and organizations that have donated equipment, time and talent—to our amazing teachers and administrators who have worked hard to build such outstanding programs—to our students who have embraced these exciting opportunities in advanced professional studies and in the trades,” said Dr. Dennis Peterson, Superintendent of Schools. “Minnetonka is a special place, and our students certainly benefit from the community’s contributions in support of their learning.”

MOMENTUM is also a rapidly-growing program, and the new building will serve as one of the primary locations where Minnetonka students in the MOMENTUM program will hone their skills and expand their education in the design and skilled trades fields.

VANTAGE is Minnetonka Schools’ advanced professional studies program with nine strands of study—including Business Analytics, Health Sciences, Design + Marketing, Global Business, Digital Journalism, Global Sustainability, Public Policy, User Experience (UX) Design, and Education. Minnetonka Schools has also recently expanded its technical education offerings into a new program that it has offered the past two years—MOMENTUM Design & Skilled Trades. The MOMENTUM program offers students the chance to do hands-on work in engineering, design, construction, manufacturing and transportation.

“Minnetonka High School is a school of opportunities where we work to help each student find their passion and place,” said Principal Jeff Erickson. “MOMENTUM and VANTAGE, in particular, provide pathways for our students to broaden their horizons and apply their learning to real life scenarios in fields that are in dire need of the next generation of workers, such as the trades.”

Recently, a new addition was added to the High School to provide space for the MOMENTUM program expansion. It included a four-car automotive garage to host MOMENTUM’s growing transportation track, which includes courses like Automotive Career Investigation, Automotive Braking Systems, Automotive Engine Performance and more. The recent addition also includes other flexible ‘makerspace’ classrooms, to be used for MOMENTUM’s other career pathways.

Learn more about VANTAGE: https://www.minnetonkaschools.org/academics/mhs/vantage

Learn more about MOMENTUM:  http://www.minnetonkaschools.org/MOMENTUM