The new Herscher Intermediate School is set to transform daily life for students, families, and the entire community. Outdated intermediate and underutilized high school spaces are being updated by a single, purpose-built facility—bringing everyone together under one roof for a safer and more connected experience.
At the heart of the design is a bright central commons, inviting students and visitors to gather and engage. Grade-level classroom pods form smaller communities within the building, each offering flexible spaces for collaboration, intervention, and special education. Learning areas will be filled with natural light, and adaptable layouts support evolving educational needs.
Separate bus and car loops are designed to streamline arrivals and departures, directing all students through a secure, main entrance. Outdoor play areas, easy to access from classrooms, will provide dedicated zones for each grade.
A competition-ready gymnasium doubles as a storm shelter, while energy-efficient systems and thoughtful site planning ensure the school serves Herscher for generations. Anticipated completion in Fall 2027!
- 59,000 s.f.
- Competition-ready Gymnasium Doubles as a Storm Shelter
- Flexible Spaces for Collaboration, Intervention and Special Education
- Features Natural Light and Bright, Inviting Spaces
- Outdoor Play Spaces
More than a replacement, this project is an investment in the future — a place where students will thrive!
With an already thriving program, the planning of this facility and its location needed to be tightly knit into other district programs, such as athletics and general education. A key consideration was also the ability to expand program offerings in the future, through enlarged facilities and features which could include on-site gardens, crops or additional livestock support.
Built in 1924, South Side Elementary is the oldest elementary facility in the Champaign School District. The original facility was designed during a time when children would walk to and from school, and aside from technological upgrades, few changes had been made to modernize the building since its original construction.
As a component of the April 2019 referendum, Hixson Middle School was to be expanded so that it could receive the school district’s sixth grade students after another district facility transitioned from a single grade and specialty school to a K-5 elementary school. The current middle school, originally opened in 1955, would require both renovations and building additions to accommodate the increase in student population.