Red Wing School District #256 is a pre-K through grade 12 district located in Red Wing, Minnesota (population 16,000). Red Wing is located in the Mississippi River Valley, fifty miles southeast of the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area.
History
Early days (1835–1915) 1835 – Formal teaching began in Red Wing, Minnesota at a mission house. 1854 – First school house building was erected at Fourth Street and East Avenue. 1864 – Red Wing became Special School District No. 1 of Goodhue Country, governed by a special charter granted by the legislature. This charter was amended in 1891.
The early history included the following school buildings:
South End School, 1854–1891 and 1893–1937, replaced by Hancock School
Central Building, 1865–1917, replaced by Central High School
West End School, 1869–1917, replaced by Jefferson School
East End School, 1869–1937, replaced by Colvill School
1866 – Central Building was opened. Central Building offered the first year of high school in Red Wing. Central Building housed the high school from 1866 to 1917. 1872 – Central Building offered a four-year high school course. 1886 – Red Wing High School was built adjacent to Central Building.
Expansion and annexation (1916–1968) 1916 – Central High School was built, with additions in 1953 and 1961. In addition, Washington Elementary (adjacent to Central High) was used for additional high school space, as needed. Jefferson Elementary School was built with additions in 1948 and 1966. Extensive remodeling was done in 1996. 1916 – The Class of 1923 was the first class to complete all secondary education at Central High. 1924-25 – The three grade schools (East End, West End and South End) were renamed: Colvill for the Civil war hero; Jefferson the president; and Hancock for Rev. W. Hancock. 1931 – Burnside Elementary School was built - additions in 1952, 1958 and 1967. Portable classrooms were added in 1968. 1937 – Colvill Elementary School was built (cost $93,000), with addition in 1966. Hancock Elementary School was built in 1937 (cost $88,000), with extensive remodeling in 1996. 1955 – The school board voted to make the school district an independent district allowing them to consolidate with the 12 common school districts of Goodhue County. The new district was known as Red Wing Independent School District No. 1. 1957 – By order of the state commissioner of education, the Red Wing School District became Independent School district No. 256. 1958 – Common School District No. 551 (Wacouta formerly No. 26) was added by dissolution and annexation. 1960 – The Burnside District was added by consolidation.
Vocational Campus and Twin Bluff Middle School (1969–1991) 1969 – The Red Wing Area Vocational Technical Institute was officially designated. 1970 – Welch was annexed to the Red Wing School District by action of the Goodhue County Commissioners. 1971 – Twin Bluff Junior High was built. A pool addition was added in 1974. Forty-five percent of the Vasa area was ordered to the Red Wing School District. The Vocational Technical Institute was renamed Red Wing Technical College. 1973 – The Red Wing Technical College was built. A second campus for Red Wing Technical College was temporarily located at the former A.P. Anderson home and was known as the Tower View Campus. 1977 – In May, the school board approved a plan to establish a comprehensive Energy Education Center and in June, Tower View was designed as the site for the energy center. 1978 – The Nature Conservancy deeded 343 acres to the school district for the development of the Red Wing Energy Education Center. 1983 – The George A. Bergwall Arena was built adjacent to the Red Wing Technical College, utilizing private contributions. The ice arena was given to the school district. 1988 – The Energy Education Center was phased out and the site became known as the Red Wing Technical College and Tower View Opportunity School. 1989 – Twin Bluff was changed to a middle school, housing 6th, 7th and 8th grades and the name was changed to Twin Bluff Middle School. The building was updated in 1997.