South High School

Overview

South High is a Community School built in 1970. South High does have air conditioning in the building and does have its own kitchen. The building does not have a Safe and Welcoming Entrance, as defined by Capital Planning, Construction, and Maintenance. The building is 283,094 square feet in size and has a design enrollment of approximately 2,089 students.

Between school years 2014 and 2023, Minneapolis Public Schools has invested $13,002,288 in capital expenditures for the building. In 2017, a facilities condition assessment classified the building as being in fair condition. The Operations Division will be conducting another facilities condition assessment in calendar year 2025.

South High had an enrollment of 1,260 students as of 01 October, 2024, with approximately 71.1% of those students qualifying for Free or Reduced-Price Lunch benefits. Note that families are still submitting Applications for Educational Benefits, so this proportion may change over the course of the school year. Total enrollment is approximately 60% of the building’s designed enrollment, making the current building use underutilized [‘underutilized’ is defined as enrollment totaling less than 70% of the design enrollment].

Building Use

At direction of the Board of Education, in October 2024 district staff performed a physical space study of all District schools. This included a walkthrough of the buildings that included many different stakeholders – Board directors, principals, teachers, central office staff, custodians, and others. The tables, figures, and plots below are a summary of data collected during the walkthrough of South High.

Classroom Spaces

See Table 1 below for how classrooms and labs are being used in the building.

Plan Use	Actual Use	N Rooms
Classroom	Career and College Center	1
Classroom	Classroom	60
Classroom	Lab - Art	1
Classroom	Lab - Science	3
Classroom	Music Room	1
Classroom	Office - Private	4
Classroom	Social work resource work	1
Classroom	Storage	1
Classroom	Theater	2
Lab - Art	Lab - Art	4
Lab - Art	Lab - Vocational	1
Lab - Computer	Classroom	1
Lab - Computer	Conference Room	1
Lab - Computer	Lab - Computer	1
Lab - Computer	Lab - Vocational	1
Lab - Computer	Office - General	1
Lab - Science	Lab - Science	11
Lab - Science	Storage	1
Music Room	Classroom	1
Office - General	Classroom	2
Office - Health	Classroom	1
Office - Private	Classroom	1
Other	Classroom	1
Storage	Classroom	1

Table 1. Classroom and instructional spaces

Building Layout

The below figure[s] are building floorplans as annotated by building staff.

Figure 1. Floorplan for South High, floorplan pages 1 through 3

Guided Discussion

A guided discussion consisting of three questions was held with those who participated in the walkthrough. The major themes are included below, as are more detailed summaries of walkthrough participants’ answers.

Question 1: In what ways does the physical environment in this building best support learning?

South’s classroom layouts are beneficial for collaboration and ease of access, as well as including a variety of unique spaces for students. Special education classrooms are connected to a sensory room, allowing students to remain in one area if needed, and there are ramps between floors for easier mobility, including during fire exits. The building offers diverse spaces such as a black box theater, tech room, and machine shop, providing many opportunities for creative and hands-on learning. The All Nations classrooms are interconnected, allowing smooth transitions for students, and offices are strategically located in the same area. The in-school health clinic further supports students’ well-being, and recent renovations, including new lighting, lockers, and an upgraded field, contribute to a more modern and pleasant learning environment. The third floor, designed for science, benefits from plenty of natural light, enhancing the space for student learning.

Question 2: In what way does the physical environment in this building interfere with how we would like learning to happen today and in the future?

Classroom sizes vary dramatically, with some able to hold 40 students and others only 15, creating both opportunities and challenges for space use. A lack of natural light in many areas, inconsistent room temperatures, and a limited number of elevators (with one located far from central areas) are other significant issues. Additionally, the building’s complex layout, with blind corners and winding hallways, makes it difficult for students and staff to navigate. Bus pickup is located a half-block from the main entrance, posing challenges for students with physical disabilities, and accessible bathrooms are not well-positioned for the programs they serve. Although a “Safe and Welcome” entrance is being built, the current entryway is not as welcoming as it could be. The lunchroom’s multiple entry points make supervision difficult, and students often don’t have enough time to get food and eat.

Question 3: What should the district know or appreciate about the physical environment of this building?

South is an Enhanced Health Site, so addressing accessibility issues for students with physical disabilities, including the need for specialized restrooms and ramps, is crucial. There is also a lack of outdoor learning spaces, which could greatly benefit students. Custodial staff manage the building well when fully staffed, but as student enrollment decreases, the same large footprint remains, making it difficult to maintain cleanliness standards with fewer staff. These challenges, alongside the space’s underutilization and access issues, are important for the district to consider in future planning and improvement efforts.

Overall Discussion Themes

Efficient classroom layout
Specialized learning spaces
In-School Health Clinic
Recent renovations enhance space
Accessibility and maintenance barriers

Survey Results

Fourteen questions were asked of walkthrough participants at the end of the walkthrough. There were 6 respondents to the survey at South High. The questions the participants were asked are included in Table 2 below, and the response breakdowns are included in Plot 1 below.

Question	Question Short	Question Text
1	welcoming main entry	The main entry is welcoming and able to be used by all students and visitors.
2	physical space design supports program	Generally, the design of the learning spaces in the building supports the way we teach and learn (e.g. classrooms are large enough to fit student desks, small group work space, etc.; there is storage for necessary curriculum, tools, manipulatives; all students can hear when the teacher is talking).
3	enough classrooms	The building has enough classrooms to support the number of students enrolled in the program.
4	entire student body can meet together	The school has a space large enough for the entire student body to be together.
5	adequate academic intervention space	The school has sufficient pull-out space to support instructional needs.
6	adequate regulation space	The school has sufficient pull-out space to respond to student behaviors.
7	adequate SPED space	There are sufficient spaces to meet the needs of the school’s Special Education programming.
8	mental health space	There are sufficient spaces to meet the mental health needs of students.
9	adequate lunch room	The cafeteria can accommodate the entire student body in three lunch services.
10	gyms large enough	The gyms are large enough to meet the needs of the program.
11	enough admin space	There is enough administrative space to meet the needs of the program.
12	functional outdoor space	The outdoor environment provides space for both learning and play.
13	adequate restrooms	The restrooms in the building meet the needs of the student body in terms of location, quantity, and inclusion.
14	building feels bright and welcoming	The building feels bright, welcoming, and efficient.

Table 2. Survey questions

Plot 1. Survey results for South High

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