Edina High School History

 

   

 

Edina residents passed a $1.25 million school bond in 1946, to build a citywide high school. Ground was broke in October 1947 and classes began in the fall of 1949. It was the first class of Edina High School that selected the school colors (green and white) and the school mascot, the Hornet, which are still used today. The school had 28 classrooms, 11 special rooms and laboratories, a library and a special radio room. In 1952, one year after the first class graduated, a gymnasium and auditorium were added to the building.

Edina was expanding in the 1960’s and the high school was becoming overcrowded. In 1970, voters passed a $9.25 million bond to construct a new high school attached to Valley View Middle School. Construction of the new high school began in May 1971 and the school was opened in the fall of 1972. The Edina East High School retained the "Hornets" and Edina West High School became the "Cougars."

In 1981, due to declining enrollment, Edina East was closed and Edina West was renamed Edina High School. The original building became the Edina Community Center, and part of the building was converted to the Edina kindergarten center and the Edina Senior Center in 1987. 

In 1992, the district opened Normandale Elementary French Immersion School, which occupies the south end of the 2nd floor (where the kindergarten center was) and has its own entrance on Normandale Road. 

Currently, the first floor of the building houses the Student Enrollment Office, Edina Resource Center, Welcome Center, Early Childhood Special Education, the Edina Family Center (birth to age 5 programs) and Edina Community Education. The 2nd floor includes the District administrative offices and Normandale Elementary. The 3rd floor houses the district's professional development center, offices for Teaching & Learning and IT, as well as tenant space and rooms for Edina Community Education.