Scherrer completes new Karcher Middle School on time, under budget

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The new Karcher Middle School in Burlington was designed and built to encourage students to use every space for learning.

The 145,000-square-foot school was completed in May 2021 at a cost of $32.7 million. It replaces the original Karcher Middle school, which was built in 1924 and no longer served the needs of a 21st century learning environment.

The old building was demolished after the new school was completed, and a new athletic field and running track are being built in its place.

The new school serves more than 700 students and features several core curriculum classrooms as well as dedicated wings for elective programming, including STEM, art, band, orchestra and choir. Other accommodations include a commons area and cafeteria, a library and media center, a fitness room overlooking a two-station gym, several administrative offices and teacher workspaces.

“The Burlington Area School District continues to grow, and we’re excited to be able to help them do that with the best equipment and learning technology available,” said Dan Bay, senior project manager of Scherrer Construction. The firm served as the general contractor on the project.

“As learning continues to evolve, Scherrer is proud to be at the forefront of creating enhanced learning spaces for children to excel in school,” Bay added.

The new school offers energy-efficient and modifiable learning spaces that allow for collaboration among all students and staff members. Besides improved safety and security, the building also increases operational efficiency and program opportunities to aid in learning.

“As our project evolved, Scherrer stood ready to build our dream, even when it required extensive problem-solving to execute a successful project that was done on time and within budget,” said Stephen Plank, superintendent of the Burlington Area School District. “Scherrer Construction was dependable, reliable and brought tremendous expertise to the table as we juggled numerous consultants, vendors and subcontractors.”