Crook County School District decided to combine their Moorcroft K-12 school system onto a single site by constructing a new K-8 school adjacent to the existing high school. The previous elementary school was located approximately 1,200 feet away, which presented challenges for high school students that traveled to that school for lunch.

This project presented several unique design challenges:

• Presence of a significant drainage channel through the site, which collects runoff from nearly 200 acres of land to the north
• Significant elevation change across the site
• Providing new parking areas and bus and parent drop-off sites to serve both the new K-8 as well as the existing high school
• Positioning the building to be close to the high school considering the K-8 would house the lunch facilities for the entire campus
• Phasing the work in a manner that would allow the existing high school to remain in service during construction

The above challenges were solved through the close collaboration of the design team, the Owner, and Wyoming School Facilities Department personnel. Elevation change around the building was turned into a positive aspect by using the different elevations to match the second story of the building on the north side with an at grade access. Site improvements included significant grading, two storm water detention ponds, and a significant amount of sewer and water main extensions to serve the new building.

At 79,246 square feet, the new K-8 is one of the larger schools in the state. The project was completed and open for students in August of 2015.