As enrollment grew, Hawley Public Schools needed a better way to serve students in grades 5 through 8, who had been housed within the high school. Zerr Berg Architects partnered with the district to plan and design a new, stand-alone middle school shaped around the needs of younger learners and the community that supports them.
Learning spaces are organized around collaborative team bays and connected classrooms, giving teachers flexibility to work together and students room to learn in groups of different sizes. Classrooms are designed with a focus on windows, bringing natural light into the spaces where students spend most of their day. A library and media center offers a welcoming place to read, study, and explore.
The building supports a wide range of hands-on and creative learning, with a wood shop, wet and dry art rooms, a family and consumer science kitchen and classroom, and dedicated band and choir rooms.
A full cafetorium serves as both a dining space and a performance venue, bringing students, families, and the community together for meals, concerts, and events. The precast concrete gymnasium supports physical education and extracurricular activities, and the use of precast takes advantage of regional resources while providing long-term durability. A bus garage supports the district’s transportation needs on site.
Throughout the building, exposed wood structure and natural light create a warm, inviting atmosphere. Details like the Nuggets emblem set into the floor and the school’s values displayed along the main corridor give students a visible sense of pride and belonging.
The project is part of a continued partnership with Hawley Public Schools that also includes renovations at Hawley Elementary School and Hawley High School. Together, these projects reflect a thoughtful, long-term approach to supporting the district and the community it serves.
