New Northern Cass Community Health and Wellness Center aims to bolster learning in all aspects of life
Drive past Northern Cass School, and you’ll be met with amber waves of grain and corn fields that rival a scene out of Field of Dreams.
“We’re a district located in the middle of a cornfield,” Superintendent Dr. Cory Stiner said. “Even though we don’t have a community that sits here (on the grounds near the school), we’re full of community.”
That community consists of learners from the towns of Arthur, Argusville, Erie, Gardner, Grandin, and Hunter, in addition to 35% of the student body that lives outside the district’s six communities.
“They (people who live outside the district) do that because we provide big school opportunities but do it in a small school environment,” Steiner added. “People at Northern Cass know parents, grandparents, siblings, and are connected to a really passionate group of educators.”
Northern Cass is no stranger to a strong reputation; recognized as one of the most innovative districts in the nation, the district practices a personalized competency-based system that meets learners from all walks of life where they are.
“When kids come into our system, they’re not going to fail because they’re behind; they’re going to be right where they need to be, and we’re going to work to help them grow,” Steiner said. “We’re in year seven of that transformation and the one of the few in the state to take on this work.”
Yet Northern Cass’s forward-thinking approach to education is just the tip of the iceberg. The district’s most recent development? A health and wellness center that provides a holistic approach to succeeding in the classroom and all aspects of life.
More than books
What started as an idea post-COVID in 2022 took flight after a conversation with Essentia Health, which provides athletic training services for Northern Cass.
“We called them in, and they said, ‘You guys must want turf (given the recent trend of its popularity among schools),’” Steiner recalled. “We said, ‘Actually, no, we’d like to think differently.’ They challenged us to think bigger and more holistically about how we can serve the people of our community, not just the people in our building.”
That sparked a conversation with Northern Cass Site Coordinator Amber Lockhart on how the district could become a full-service community school.
“Any service a kid needs, we want to have it on site instead of our learners having to drive a distance to Fargo,” Lockhart said. “There’s nothing wrong with that, but for some of our folks, that could be a half day off, whether that’s mental health, dental, etc.”
The next step? Community input and an executive committee, on which Lockhart sits and Steiner serves as liaison.
“We thought, if we’re going to do a clinic, what are other things that our community would need?” Steiner said. “That led to listening sessions and an evolved list of the things we want to offer.”
The list is extensive yet impressive for a facility unprecedented in rural America. From medical, dental, and vision care to behavioral health, healthcare training, and a food pantry, the facility checks all boxes for physical, mental, and social well-being.
While fulfilling the needs of learners is at the forefront of the project, community members and staff will also benefit. Perhaps one of the most impactful ways will be through childcare services offered to the community and staff members.
“A huge part of my role is attracting and retaining talented staff and teachers,” Steiner said. “When we put out an application and say we have on-site daycare, I think that will really bolster our application pool.”
From lectures to lived experiences
While Northern Cass features all the traditional classroom elements, the district prides itself on providing modern experiential learning. The health and wellness center will only further that.
“There will be opportunities for learners interested in early education to work in our childcare center, opportunities for learners interested in dentistry in the dental office, and an internship through the food pantry,” Steiner said. “Our kids can and should get credit for things they do outside of the classroom because learning is everywhere.”
Steiner believes the opportunity for learners to work at the facility will not only provide lived learning experiences but perhaps inspire the next generation to pursue careers they otherwise wouldn’t.
“I can see a scenario where we see more kids go into education because of their experiences with the facility, which is huge; we need that,” he said. “I can also see experiences where a learner may be more inclined to say ‘Hey, I want to run my own business or childcare center’ because they’ll get a first-hand look at what it’s like.”
Opportunity and dialogue
Like any major project, the Northern Cass Community Health and Wellness Center has sparked great conversation within the communities that the district serves. And while the majority of community reception has been positive and supportive, Steiner welcomes questions and skepticism.
“I like when people say it can’t be done and love to show people that with creativity and the right people, things can be done,” he said. “Our world needs that more now than ever.”
Example A of this came when navigating the obstacles of obtaining dental services for the facility. Deemed perhaps the most difficult amenity to obtain full-time, a donor connected the district with an interested provider in the region. Conversations later, the paperwork was signed.
“It’s been special to see,” Steiner said. “And when people say, ‘I’m not for the project,’ I say, “You don’t have to apologize for that. Let’s sit down and talk about the logistics because I’d love to gather feedback.’”
In the fundraising stage, the project is slated to begin construction in the fall of 2025 or the spring of 2026 at the latest. Steiner, Lockhart, and their team have been meeting with architects to finalize building blueprints and plans. The project will not increase taxes for community members and is completely donor-funded.
As he reflects, Steiner hopes and believes the facility will impact lives long after his time at Northern Cass.
“This project will help people of all ages thrive, not just survive in small towns,” Steiner said. “This is a generational project.”
Renderings provided by Zerr Berg Architects.