Middle school set to be turned over to district May 10
By Jason Arndt
Staff Writer
Construction crews are putting the final touches on the new Karcher Middle School and are poised to formally turn the building over to the Burlington Area School District within a matter of weeks.
The new school, which will replace the current school by the same name, was part of a $43 million referendum passed by voters in November 2018 and includes several upgrades of other district-owned properties.
The referendum also fuels changes to school grade configurations, like converting Dyer Intermediate School to an elementary school, and turning Karcher Middle School into building housing students in sixth through eighth grades instead of merely seventh and eighth.
“This building is kind of the centerpiece to all of the referendum changes,” said Julie Thomas, BASD Communications Coordinator. “But, every building in the district will receive a secure entrance, will receive some upgrades and that is going to take place over the summer.”
As for the new Karcher Middle School, which took up $32 million of the referendum, Director of Buildings and Grounds Daniel Bocock reports the building is about 95% finished.
The new middle school, district officials previously said, would serve up to 700 students, span about 145,000-square-feet and include a gym, cafeteria, library, classrooms, office space and outdoor recreation/athletics space.
The building, according to Bocock, will place an emphasis on natural lighting allowing students and staff an opportunity to see the outside, regardless of where their classrooms are.
Transitions planned
The district expects to have Scherrer Construction, Inc., construction manager for the project, turn the building over to school officials by May 10.
The process includes final approval from Plunkett Raysich Architects, review from City Building Inspector Gregory Guidry, who will then issue an occupancy permit to the district.
By May 24, three days after the last day of instruction, teachers will report back to the former Karcher Middle School and pack up their materials for shipment to the new building.
“The teachers are going to have the responsibility of packing up their current room and whatever materials they want to take with them,” Thomas said. “But the building and grounds staff would actually be moving that over the summer.”
Gunderson Excavating, according to Bocock, is scheduled to demolish the former Karcher Middle School starting on June 14.
The new facility will be used for portions of the Burlington Community Education program, bolster athletic activities, and offer students better instructional space for music and STEM subjects.
“It is going to be a pretty special place for the community,” Thomas said. “I think it is something the community should be really, really proud of.”
For the full version of this story and additional photos from inside the new school see the April 29 edition of the Burlington Standard Press.
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