“(GISA) is making great strides on its new Upper Academy facility,” said Founding Director Josh Jennings. “The project remains on track for a spring 2025 completion, with the overall budget in good shape and a healthy project contingency in place.”
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
The goal of the new facility is to provide “much-needed space” to help serve more students by expanding overall programming down to sixth grade starting in fall of 2025 and by expanding the number of students in grades 7-8, which will help alleviate capacity restrictions at GISA’s current location inside the Springfield Center of Innovation at The Dome.
GISA’s board of directors held a tour of the new facility on Tuesday afternoon for its members.
Since July, several construction elements have been completed including the site utilities, steel frame, roof, interior framing, insulation, concrete sidewalks and patios. Windows have been installed, the natural gas line has been run to the building, the electrical transformer and running power lines have been set, 75% of the interior mechanical, plumbing and electric systems have been completed, and drywall installation has begun.
“It’s incredibly exciting to see the vision coming to life. This facility represents the future of GISA, providing dedicated space for our upperclassmen to engage in specialized coursework and hands-on learning experiences that prepare them for college and career success,” Jennings said.
John Paulson, GISA’s owner representative on the project, said a lot of the work has been in getting the trim and edge pieces, which he said isn’t highly visible but takes a lot of time and is really intense. He said they have also purchased furniture, technology and food equipment.
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
Marker Construction, the design builder, and a team from WSA Studio, a design partner, are working on the project.
The total budget for the project, including all preconstruction services and soft costs, is $16,945,000. GISA will contribute $5,250,000 out of its general fund, with the remaining $11,695,000 being financed through New Carlisle Federal Savings Bank, and $1,750,000 supported by cash collateral from unnamed philanthropic partners.
Although the project is ahead of schedule and under budget, Paulson said they did have a “couple of hits” that are already accounted for and taken out of the budget. He said the potential bomb threat that happened in early September causing Clark State to close cost $9,000 since crews were already on the site working. They also decided to repave the parking lot because the base was not good, and that cost $43,000.
The new facility will include academic spaces such as biochemistry and environmental science labs, which are supported by a prep room between them; an art room with its own kiln room; chemistry and physical science labs, also supported by a collaborative prep room; a food science room; an ag lab and patio with a garage door; a delivery dock, greenhouse; and general classroom.
Among other features, it will have an entry plaza; an administrative suite with a reception area, four private offices, nurses station, conference room, guidance suite with three private counselor offices and a waiting room, kitchenette and seating area, central commons area, outdoor patio, bus and parent drop off, plus parking lot (which has 17 spaces but will have 60 in the future).
Clark State provided the land for the new facility and additional space on the campus for GISA’s programming and classes. Jennings said this partnership has been “instrumental in brining the Upper Academy facility to life.”
Aside from construction, Clark State has supported GISA’s educational programming, including to allow students to take the College Credit Plus dual enrollment program. Jennings said the average student graduates high school with 40 semester hours of college credit, and about one-third of the graduating class earns an associate degree by the time they get their high school diploma.
“(Clark State’s) entire team has been exceptional in providing support, coordination, and collaboration throughout the project,” Jennings said. “(Their) commitment to this partnership has been invaluable in ensuring that our students have access to these advanced learning opportunities, setting them on a path for success in college and beyond.”
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
Horton Hobbs, GISA governing board president and vice president of economic development with the Greater Springfield Partnership, said it’s an exciting time to see the progress of the new facility because of the thoughtful, student-focused design.
“What excites me is the opportunities it’s going to bring for students and the community. To have the concepts, the ideas, the drawings, you can see it come out of the ground, really you can start to see it come together,” Hobbs said. “When you walk through the space you can really now imagine what it will be like for the students and it’s just a remarkable facility,” he said.
As part of the expansion, GISA hired Kristyn Keriazes as sixth grade administrator, which is a new position. In the fall of 2025, Keriazes will add seventh grade under her leadership. Current high school director Michael Payne will move to the new facility for grades 10 through 12, and the current middle school director Anton Kilburn will supervise eighth through ninth grades at the current facility.
GISA will also hire a new team of teachers to support the additional grades and growing programs, Jennings said. Job postings will be available early in the spring for the 2025-26 year, and those interested can reach out to Chief Academic Officer Jamison Truebenbach.
Student applications for both 6th and 7th grade will open on Nov. 7 and close on Jan. 10. Prospective families are invited to attend an open house from 6 to 8 p.m. on Nov. 6 at GISA’s current location, 700 S. Limestone St., Suite B, to learn more.
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