Capital Campaign Groundbreaking Ceremony
St. Charles Catholic High School will be holding a prayer service for the groundbreaking for the new Chapel and school renovations on December 20, 2016 at 9:30 a.m. We will be joined by Bishop Cheri and the school Chaplain, Father Austin.
Work will begin soon to give St. Charles Catholic High School (SCC) a $5.7 million renovation. Archbishop Gregory Aymond and the leadership of the Archdiocese of New Orleans approved SCC moving forward with a series of capital projects to improve the aesthetics, safety and functionality of the school. These improvements will ensure St. Charles Catholic remains an institution of excellence in Catholic education for years to come.
St. Charles Catholic High School has galvanized its future in the River Parishes through its United in Faith Capital Campaign. SCC has always been a high school focused on both spiritual growth and academic excellence and now SCC looks to secure its future as a leading Catholic institution by completing much needed facility improvements and enhancements in the near future. Led by Campaign Co-Chairs Louis Authement and Bubby Guidry, St. Charles Catholic High School is proud to announce that our United in Faith capital campaign has already secured $1.45 million in gifts and pledges.
The capital campaign, which went public in March 2014, has nearly 500 families, individuals, businesses and foundations who have invested in the school’s vision to fund $5.7 million in capital improvement projects. The campaign leadership continues to reach out to community leaders, school leaders, campaign leaders, alumni, parents, past parents, grandparents, foundations, businesses and faculty and staff to solidify the school’s place as an academic and character building leader for generations to come. Among those groups, 100% of the faculty and staff and school leadership and 98% of the campaign leadership have placed their own charitable support behind the goals. “We are truly appreciative of the broad-based support received to date,” said Principal Andrew Cupit.
The funding of the project will come from two sources: funds raised through the United in Faith capital campaign and a loan from the Archdiocese of New Orleans. The $5.7 million in funds will be used to expand and improve the exterior and entrance of the school including the addition of a new computer lab, building a new chapel, renovating the gymnasium, updating technology and infrastructure, and repairing the parking lot while improving drainage on campus. The projects are expected to be completed by the end of 2017.
“My husband, Leandre and I are 1984 graduates of St. Charles Catholic High School and we are excited about the upcoming improvements to SCC. There are many among us whose character and sense of service are rooted in their St. Charles Catholic High School experience. It is now time to enhance the only Catholic High School in the River Parish area.” said Courtney Millet, Ph.D, Director of Instruction and Institutional Advancement at St. Charles Catholic High School.
Underscoring the importance of the first capital campaign in the 65-year history of the school, the Archbishop called on the 14 parishes of the St. John-St. Charles Deanery to support the lone Catholic secondary school serving the region. Some 22 campaign leaders and volunteers made presentations at nearly 100 Masses during the summer of 2014 in order to introduce the project.
“A gift to this campaign is an opportunity to express the gratitude for God’s generosity as well as to leave a legacy for generations to come.” said campaign co-chair and school advisory board president Louis Authement. “We have embarked on a campaign for capital improvements so we can remain an educational and spiritual leader in the state of Louisiana.”
The campaign has also brought together young and old alumni from the Destrehan and LaPlace schools. This is evidenced by the fact that one of the school’s first alumni, Mr. Jake Giardina, Class of 1955, provided a spark to the Parent’s Campaign by offering a $100,000 challenge grant. Current and past parents as well as grandparents responded favorably and the United in Faith capital campaign earned the full grant. Giardina is an Honorary Chair of the campaign. Millet added, “Our constituents – parents, faculty, alumni and parishioners are committed to our school’s success.”
The tradition of academic excellence coupled with civic responsibility and strong Christian values remains the foundation of the school. A diverse student body of 480 currently attends St. Charles for its religious instruction, academics, athletics, and community involvement. Students come not only to nourish their minds but also to deepen their beliefs and strengthen their souls in preparation for becoming the leaders of tomorrow.
Four decades after the school’s relocation by the archdiocese to LaPlace, the basic exterior construction has gone unfinished all these years. So the highest priority project is a makeover of the exterior of the school. Plans are to replace the pre-fabricated corrugated metal exterior with an attractive façade consisting of high-efficiency brick, stucco, and glass. A new front entrance will provide a stately two-story glass encased structure offers a warm welcome to the school and the opportunity to build a stand alone chapel on campus.
Infrastructure and program upgrades are another featured project area. Improvements will center on improving the teaching-learning experience and school safety. Key upgrades will include expanded internet access to keep pace with educational demands, technology improvements, security system upgrades, conversion to energy-efficient lighting where needed, and a required fire sprinkler system. Those technology upgrades at a cost of $30,000 are taking place this summer. The upgrades, which include equipment at the forefront of current technology, will be completed by the start of the 2016-2017 school year. Therefore, students and teachers will return to school in the fall to find a better, faster campus network. St. Charles Catholic High School currently implements the one-to-one Apple iPad Air program, and interactive white boards are used in many of the classrooms. The upgrades taking place this summer will enhance the technology currently used at SCC.
The first piece to the campaign was to fund parking and site improvements. During the summer of 2015, repairs to the existing parking lot took place and the addition of 110 hard-surfaced spaces was realized. The parking lot project was completed with no change orders and under budget.
To get a closer look at the details of the United in Faith campaign, please visit: http://sccunitedinfaith. steiergroup.net/. For more information contact Dr. Courtney Millet at millet.courtney@ stcharlescatholic.org or at 985-652-3809 ext. 119.