The Daily Reporter, a Wisconsin-focused construction news source, awarded Mill Creek as one of its 2024 Top Project honorees. The Kraemer Brothers’ work on Mill Creek was also honored as a Silver Project of Distinction by Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin.
The school, which is in its first year, was built in partnership with Kraemer Brothers, a local contractor.
Criteria for these awards included impact to the community, overcoming challenges in the construction process, owner satisfaction, safety programs implemented, and importance of the project.
Jacques Soumis, National Heritage Academies’ (NHA) manager of construction, oversaw the Kraemer Brothers in the school’s construction. He said it was a priority to work with a general contractor in the community.
“I always want to try to source a grass roots type company. Kraemer Brothers is close to the site, so the local community was involved with building Mill Creek.”
“I think the community is happy with the school and the folks that work there enjoy the new facility,” said Jacques Soumis, NHA’s manager of construction.
Some of the hurdles faced were having to change some of the school’s surroundings. Soumis said there were a lot of off-site changes, such as putting in a turn lane on the highway and moving utilities like gas lines and electric poles.
One of the biggest challenges in the process was constructing the school in an area not connected to a domestic sewer and water system. Mill Creek is one of just two NHA schools with this unique challenge. Because of this, a well and septic system were installed on site, including the water needed for a fire suppression system, which holds 45,000 gallons of water.
Mill Creek is one of two schools in the NHA network that runs on well water with a septic system.
“It was very challenging to do that,” Soumis said.
Nearing the end of its first year of classes, the Mill Creek community was pleased with the building, and happy to see the quality NHA and the Kraemer Brothers used to complete the project.
“I think the community is happy with the school and the folks that work there enjoy the new facility,” Soumis said. “Having been there for the first two days of the school opening and seeing the parents bringing their kids to school, they were just ecstatic.”
Congrats, Mill Creek and the Kraemer Brothers!
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About Mill Creek Academy
Mill Creek Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Waukesha, Wisconsin, serving students in all-day 4K through fifth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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