From left to right: Lori Christensen, ICS; Representative Roger Skraba; Dan Shirley, Cook County School Board Chair; Minnesota Senator Grant Hauschild; ISD 166 Superintendent Chris Lindholm; Toby Stephens, Grand Portage Tribal Council and Local Indian Education Committee; Grand Marais Mayor Tracy Benson. All photos by Laura Durenberger-Grunow

By Laura Durenberger-Grunow - Boreal Community Media - May 25, 2026

On Friday, May 22, officials broke ground on the first of two phases of facility improvements for ISD 166. The full $37.8 million project includes updates to student learning areas, the addition of modern safety measures, the building of local community connections, and the improvement and update of athletic facilities. 

Project background breakdown

Funds for the project come from a variety of sources, including voter-approved referendums, state matching grants, and private donations. 

In a November 2024 referendum, which was divided into three questions, voters authorized an initial $24 million bond package primarily focused on the district's PreK-12 buildings, safety upgrades, and basic academic space improvements. While the first question passed, voters rejected the second and third questions, which were more closely tied to broader athletic and arts upgrades. 

To address the remaining needs, the school board sought other financial options and secured a $5 million matching grant from the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation (IRRR) Board, conditional on the passage of another bond in the November 2025 election. In that election, voters approved an additional $6.65 million bond, which will go towards a new track and field, updated baseball fields, improvements to the Arrowhead Center for the Arts, and more. 

Other funding sources include a $250,000 Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund grant for outdoor learning areas, and a $100,000 contribution from the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation, specifically dedicated to creating an ADA-accessible playground.

Attendees gathered for the ISD 166 Cook County Schools Groundbreaking Ceremony 

Groundbreaking Ceremony

During the Groundbreaking Ceremony, ISD 166 Superintendent Chris Lindholm said that while the school received some smaller updates in 2016, the project is the first major one since 1998. 

Grand Marais Mayor Tracy Benson introduced herself as a Cook County High School graduate and thanked community members in the county for saying yes to "our kids." 

Minnesota State Senator Grant Hauschild praised Cook County community members, saying he knew voters would "do the right thing." He went on to say that he believes every kid, regardless of background and zip code, should have the same opportunity as everyone else. 

Toby Stephens of the Grand Portage Tribal Council and Local Indian Education Committee shared that with these improvements and the addition of the proposed Ojibwe Language and Culture room, the Ojibwe language program continues to be revitalized, with all kids participating. 

Minnesota Senator Grant Hauschild addresses attendees at the Groundbreaking Ceremony.  L to R: Lori Christensen, ICS; School Board Chair Dan Shirley; Grand Portage Tribal Council & Local Indian Education Committee Member Toby Stephens; Grand Marais Mayor Tracy Benson; MN Representative Roger Skraba

ISD 166 School Board Chair Dan Shirley expressed gratitude for the moment, the process, and the people who support it. He shared that every pre-k through 12th-grade student will be touched by the improvements each day. 

Other speakers included Lori Christensen, business development executive from ICS (the project management and consulting firm assigned to the project), and Minnesota Representative Roger Skraba. 

The event ended with a ceremonial "golden shovel" groundbreaking. 

To learn more about the projects, visit VikingsVision.org.