graduate with a full semester of college completed.” Beyond academics, the town reached the Class A State Football Championship, and the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation recognized it in 2023 as one of the Best Communities for Music Education. The high school offers a valuable program called work-based learning, where seniors dedicate one semester to working at a business for two hours a day. Beckman explains, “If a student aspires to be a physical therapist, they partner with the local clinic and shadow with the physical therapist.” This has yielded consistent success in bringing students back to local employment after college. Furthermore, Beckman adds that students take part in extracurricular activities, enriching the educational experience.“Well over 90% of kids take extracurriculars and not just one − they are not just a jock or a band nerd, they are both.” The school secured $20 million for enhancements “We have had a 35-person waiting list for those. So, the opportunity is here to develop more housing.” The city also owns parcels with paved roads and utilities available for residential development. “We offer a five-year tax abatement on any new homes in the city,” says Dale. A privately owned residential development has larger lots for sale with utilities in place as well. Efforts are underway to name areas for future expansion once current projects near capacity. A NATIONAL BLUE-RIBBON AND STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SCHOOL With growth comes the need for outstanding education, and Springfield is proud of its students’ academic achievements. Springfield High School ranks among the top-performing districts in Minnesota. In 2022, the institute received the National BlueRibbon School Award from the U.S. Department of Education, a distinction shared with only one other district in the state − Rochester. Beckman adds,“Local colleges offer dual enrollment, and many of our kids 55 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 5, ISSUE 03 SPRINGF IELD, MN
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