Cherokee High School South

Marlton, New Jersey

Firm

The Gibson Tarquini Group

Client

Lenape Regional School District

Area

210,000 sq.ft.

Total Cost

$24,000,000

Completion Date

09/2001

The Cherokee High School South Project embraces the school-within-a-school concept, in which the student body is divided into two smaller, more manageable groups: an intermediate high school for grades 9 to 10, and a senior high school for grades 11 to 12. Each group has a separate media center, gymnasium and administrative offices with separate identities. The expansion project was driven by enrollment increases and educational program needs, and essentially doubles the facility’s size.
The school’s centerpiece is the 1,600-seat performing-arts center and enhanced auditorium, which serves both sections of the school. Sophisticated theater design principles were incorporated into the plan, along with many extras such as an orchestra pit.
A 7,200-square-foot gymnasium with two teaching stations and spectator seating was added to the existing gym to support the educational program. At the core of the school is a 5,000-square-foot technology-driven media center, which features daylighting and clerestory windows.
The new school has technology and science labs, flexible classroom space, energy-efficient boilers and climate control. It features a distinct signature entrance, and is designed to be fully accessible and ADA-compliant.