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Birkett Center

Project Summary

Total Project Budget: $21.7 Million
Referendum Funds: $20.0 Million
Contracted to Date: $0.0 Million

The Birkett Center opened in 1997 with multiple additions constructed in 2003. The facility originally served as a middle school, before transitioning to being the Neuqua Valley freshman campus in 2003. Planned improvements to the main campus of Neuqua will allow all students to attend the main campus beginning with the 2027-2028 school year. With this change, the Birkett facility will once again transition to serving a new purpose, and is reimagined as a district community center. Beginning in 2027, the Birkett center will host a variety of district-wide programming, including:

  • The STEPS transition program
  • The Gail McKinzie credit recovery program
  • The District’s Pathways program, offering capstone experiences for a variety of career-oriented programs
  • STEM and SAM labs to support K-8 STEM education
  • District-wide robotics programming
  • District-wide professional development, meeting and gathering spaces
  • A “Welcome Center” to serve as a community hub for the district’s community support and social service initiatives

To enable the new programming, capital improvements will be made to the Birkett center starting in 2026, including:

  • Secure vestibule at the front of the building for checking in all visitors and enhancing security, and additional secure entrance for the STEPS and Gail McKinzie programs
  • Exterior door replacements and the increased use of electronic access controls 
  • Mechanical upgrades and system replacements throughout the building
  • Redesign of classroom spaces to support specific needs of the STEPS program, including PAES lab, maker spaces, a life skills apartment, and micro-business areas
  • Renovation of existing foods lab, technology and engineering spaces to support the Pathways program
  • Building-wide LED lighting, furniture and classroom technology upgrades
  • Renovation of gathering spaces to increase flexibility to support district-wide professional development and other large group programming

Budget Dashboard

CostSummary-BirkettCenter-November2025 (PDF)

Project Plan - Photos and Renderings

A minimalist and modern interior design concept featuring a spacious reception area with clean lines, large windows, and a minimalist furniture arrangement.
A long, white hallway with glass walls and doors, leading to various rooms or offices, with a ceiling fan visible in the background.
The image appears to be a floor plan or layout of a building, with various rooms and spaces labeled and color-coded. The foreground displays the detailed floor plan, while the background shows a legend or key that provides information about the different sections or areas of the building.
A modern, minimalist interior space with a clean, white floor and walls, large windows, and a coffee station visible in the background.
The image showcases a cozy and calming interior design, featuring a lush indoor garden, a comfortable seating area, and a color palette of earthy tones and soothing greens.
The image appears to be a site plan, showing the layout and dimensions of a building or complex. The foreground features various labeled sections and entrances, while the background includes surrounding roads and open spaces.
This is a planning diagram for a building, showing the layout of the first and second floors with various labeled rooms and areas.
A minimalist, all-white interior space with a desk, chair, and various furnishings, suggesting a modern office or workspace environment.
This is a proposed floor plan for the second floor of the Gail McKinzie building, showing various rooms and spaces labeled with their intended uses.
A modern, minimalist dining area with clean lines, neutral colors, and a mix of tables and chairs arranged in a functional layout.
The image appears to be a floor plan or layout of a building, with various rooms and spaces labeled and color-coded. The foreground displays the detailed floor plan, while the background provides a legend or key to the different color-coded areas.
The image appears to be a proposed floor plan for the first floor of a building, with various rooms and spaces labeled and color-coded.
This is a proposed floor plan for the first floor of a building, divided into various rooms and spaces labeled with their intended purposes.