School board receives charter school building updates

There are several construction projects in the works for the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District (MSBSD) and at the forefront are three charter schools. During the August 20 school board meeting, upon request from the school board, an update was given on the status of the projects.

First up was Academy Charter School, which will accommodate its expansion to include a new high school facility. The new construction will be architecturally planned, engineered and built to increase the square footage. The first phase of construction is expected to increase Academy K-12 Public Charter School student population by an additional 180 students.

The school will remain at its existing location along the right side of the exit road from the current facility. The new construction is planned to be architecturally engineered to increase the available square footage for the school.

Antonio Weese, Capital Planning & Construction Manager for the district, explained is a design build, meaning the designer and the contractor are hired at the same time. Weese said it is currently at 15% design, with a 35% design projected for submittal during a school board meeting in October. He added that a 100% design is projected for the spring and construction should get underway promptly.

Next up was American Charter School, which is currently located in Meadow Lakes in a strip mall. The plan is to move to a new, 20-acre site near the intersection of Church Road and Seldon Road. This new location was approved by the Mat-Su Borough Site Selection Committee and Planning Commission to accommodate the school's growing population in a facility built to district expectations. Weese said the design for the new building was done in-house, and that the project is in the construction phase, with the contract being awarded to Roger Hickel Construction, the same company that built the new Houston High School building.

“They’re doing site work, site clearing,” Weese told the school board. “They’re getting quite a bit set up and cleared.” He said that while the schedule for American Charter is pretty tight, they do expect to have substantial completion August, 2026, with the hope of getting students into the new building for the next school year.

There will be a groundbreaking for the new school on September 4.

Last but not least, Birchtree Charter School. It will also be moving from its current location in Palmer to a new location, a 68-acre parcel adjoining Shaw Elementary School off of Wasilla-Fishhook Road. The location is in a large, wooded area that would allow for improved traffic flow and accommodate outdoor learning opportunities. The proposed building will be 49,000 SF, two-story, of light commercial construction, and house approximately 500 students and 40-45 staff members.

Weese explained that are going to be a lot of elevation changes with the new building as it will be partially built into a hillside, but provided the most cost-effective option for the project.

“It’s very, very different than any other school I’ve been involved in building. It’s very unique,” he said of the Waldorf school, explaining that the teacher loops with the class from year to year. At Birchtree students have one teacher for kindergarten, one teacher from 1st-5th grade, and one teacher from 6th-8th grade.

Weese said the design is nearly 35% complete and should be ready to present to the school board and will have construction bids in the spring, with construction set to begin Spring, 2026.

When complete, Weese believes it could house another 60 to 80 students. Substantial completion on the school is expected in August, 2027.