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Quality of Life


Education

Preschool-12 Education

Residents and businesses value the excellent educational opportunities available in Grand Rapids. Public schools within the City of Grand Rapids are part of Independent School District 318 (ISD 318). The community prides itself on delivering outstanding early childhood through high school educational programs, including an Internatiogrhighsch2Grand Rapids Senior Highnal Baccalaureate curriculum and College in the Schools (CITS), a concurrent enrollment program in conjunction with the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Approximately 61% of teachers at the Grand Rapids Senior High School hold a master's degree, and approximately 66% have more than 10 years of teaching experience.

With growing enrollment and aging neighborhood elementary schools a community concern, voters approved a referendum in April of 2018 to construct two new 750 student elementary schools. These schools are opened in the fall of 2020.  The St. Joseph's Catholic Church operates one private elementary school (K-6) by the same name.

The Robert J. Elkington Middle School (grades 5-8) is a state of the art, well equipped, educational facility which opened in 2003.  The Grand Rapids Senior High, which is co-located with the Myles Reif Performing Arts Center, was expanded and fully remodeled in recent years together with the construction of a new track/turfed athletic field.

Above and beyond the opportunity for a top quality education, Grand Rapids students enjoy many extra curricular options.  Students benefit from the use of modern band, dance, and theater facilities, as well as, updated or new gymnasiums, track, turfed football & soccer fields, and baseball field near or on the High School grounds.  In addition, modern tennis courts, a new swimming pool, and the City Sports Complex are located on and adjacent to the Middle School grounds.

 

Post-Secondary Education

Minnesota North College (Itasca Campus) is located on the eastern edge of Grand Rapids.  MNC is a two-year public college offering a wide variety of programs and courses.  The College was ranked as the 5th best two-year college in the nation in 2010 by the Washington Monthly.  MNC has a strong reputation for its associate arts degree which allows students to complete their first two years of a four-year degree.  MNC is also nationally recognized for their engineering program which leads into an opportunity to complete a four-year degree through the Iron Range Engineering program.  MNC, also, has quality programs in nursing, natural resources, psychology, class act teacher preparation, early childhood and customized training, among others.  The school has an enrollment of more than 1,300 students and is a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System (MnSCU) which is comprised of 32 state universities and community and technical colleges serving the higher education needs of Minnesota.

Additionally, the University of Minnesota-Duluth Campus and the College of St. Scholastica provide classes and degree programs at MNC. Adjacent to MNC is the University of Minnesota North Central Research and Outreach Center.

 

Independent School District #318

         

Minnesota North College

U of M North Central Research and Outreach Center

         

 

             

Culture and Art

Grand Rapids has outstanding venues to offer it's residents and visitors, providing a chance toReif Center see a wide variety of year-round exhibits and performances both indoors and out; including both local, as well as, nationally and internationally recognized musicians, sculptors, painters, performance artists, potters, jewelers, textile artists, photographers and more, including a "First Friday Art Walk".

A number of privately and publicly funded organizations are important contributors to the diverse cultural atmosphere here. They are an integral part of the community, bringing first class exhibits and performances into the city, introducing us to new and exciting experiences.

 

 

Reif Performing Arts Center

         

Grand Rapids Arts

Itasca County Historical Society

         

Forest History Center

KAXE Northern Community Radio

         

Grand Rapids Area Public Library

Children's Discovery Museum

         

Grand Rapids Farmers Market

Healthcare

hospital

Grand Rapids residents enjoy access to modernized, multi-specialty health care facilities. The Grand Itasca Hospital and Clinic facility is located on 76 acres in the SW quadrant of the city, adjacent to the Mississippi River and numerous multi-purpose trails. The facility is home to a multi-specialty clinic of nearly 50 physicians and a 64-bed hospital. Grand Rapids is also home to numerous other quality, privately owned surgical centers, specialty clinics, and medical offices.

Recreationriver fishing1

The Grand Rapids area offers a wide variety of indoor and outdoor recreational opportunities for all seasons. The City of Grand Rapids has over 200 acres of parks and open space lands, 54 miles of trails, Pokegama Golf Course (one of the finest municipal golf courses in Minnesota), and numerous access points to multiple lakes and rivers.

Additionally, Grand Rapids is the trail head to the Taconite Snowmobile Trail and the Mesabi Bike Trail, as well as the gateway to over a million acres of public hunting lands, including the Chippewa National Forest, and 1,000 quality fishing lakes, most of which are accessible within 1/2 hour of town.

Itasca County YMCA

           

Mesabi Trail

Grand Rapids Park & Rec. Department

           

Pokegama Golf Course

Get Fit Itasca

           

MN Department of Natural Resources

Area Convention and Visitors Bureau

             

bronze level plaque

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