Caribou Community School, RSU #39
Caribou Community School is a high-performance PreK–8 school promoting an innovative STEAM curriculum and hands-on learning. Positioned on a 17.4-acre site, it serves as an aesthetic focal point accessible to students walking or biking. Collaboration between the City of Caribou, the National Park Service, the Maine Attorney General's Office, and the Maine Department of Education secured the central location, involving a land swap.
The building follows the Maine Department of Environmental Protection's stormwater management rules due to its urban-impaired Caribou Stream location. It saves approximately $700,000 annually in energy, operational, and labor costs, featuring an on-site biomass boiler for winter heating and a gas-powered boiler for spring and summer. The school features an innovation center, art rooms, multipurpose spaces, and a "Learning Commons" library along a central corridor which highlights the students' collaborative projects. Classrooms stem from this area and are equipped with cutting-edge technology, while abundant natural light highlights the vibrant interiors.
Project summary
New construction totaling 120,000 square feet.
Efficient features save $700,000 annually.
Student body size of 750.
Talk to an expert
Kathryn Cogan, LEED AP BD+C
Education Studio Leader
Kathy manages K-12 and higher education projects, including a series of $40 million to $60 million new construction school projects, guiding them from feasibility studies and early concepts to public referendum and through design and construction. These projects have complex stakeholder groups and often require oversight from multiple state agencies.
