FARGO — Sanford Health plans to open a primary care clinic inside Fargo South High School, a partnership city and school officials say will broaden local access to health services while creating learning opportunities for students.
Clinic planned at South High with construction in spring 2027
The clinic is slated for Fargo South High School at 1840 15th Ave. S., with construction expected to begin in the spring of 2027. School and health system leaders presented a concept plan that calls for an initial staffing level of two to three providers and space that will include a reception and waiting area, exam rooms, laboratory capacity, medication storage and support spaces for clinic staff.
Sanford Health — described in reports as the largest rural health system in the U.S. — will pay for clinic construction, equipment and ongoing operations. Fargo Public Schools will cover necessary infrastructure upgrades to the building, including air handling and sewer work in the space designated for the clinic. The arrangement will be governed by a lease agreement that was placed on the consent agenda of the Fargo school board meeting on Aug. 11 after the board voted in June to move forward.
“We don't have any primary care in that section of town, and so it's going to be a great opportunity for us as well,”
— Susan Jarvis, vice president of Sanford operations in Fargo, on the health system's interest in the site.
Why the school is a fit: space, access and education
Fargo South once enrolled about 1,600 students, and enrollment has declined to roughly 900 students, creating available interior space school officials say can be repurposed without displacing core programs. Superintendent Cory Steiner said the clinic will offer priority appointment booking for staff and students and that the partnership opens avenues for health sciences students to observe and learn alongside medical providers.
Steiner also framed the collaboration as notable for North Dakota, saying this type of clinic-in-school model is common in larger metropolitan areas and that Fargo’s project would be “the first of its kind” in the state, according to meeting comments.
Local access, district revenue and phased approach
School leaders emphasized community access beyond the South High population. The concept notes the clinic will be open to the public and could serve parts of south Fargo currently without nearby primary care. A proposed lease will provide the district with revenue, though school officials described that as a secondary benefit to increasing access and educational opportunities.
Project plans describe a phased rollout. Phase 1 comprises the initial clinic buildout and staffing. A second phase would be considered only if demand for services increases.
| Phase | Key elements |
|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Clinic buildout, reception, exam rooms, lab, 2–3 providers |
| Phase 2 | Expansion contingent on increased demand |
- Increased access: Clinic open to students, staff and the public, serving a part of town with limited primary care.
- Educational integration: Health sciences students at Fargo schools will have clinical learning opportunities.
- Financial structure: Sanford funds construction and operations; the district pays infrastructure upgrades and receives lease revenue.
Officials said the school district initially approached Sanford with the idea. The project remains in early stages; details such as exact clinic hours, the full roster of services and an operational timeline beyond spring 2027 construction start will be developed as planning progresses and the lease agreement is finalized.
For Fargo residents, the plan signals a shift toward placing basic health services within community hubs like schools — a model district leaders say could address geographic gaps in care while providing practical learning settings for future health professionals.
