Update on final Renovate and Renew Phase II construction plans “Phenomenal” is the only word to describe it by Mary Pat Muhlena At the April 27, Open Parish Meeting to discuss the Renovate and Renew Phase II construction plans, the word St. Matthew Grade School Principal Joe Wolf used repeatedly was “phenomenal.” It all started as a bit of a joke, after he laughingly pointed out that he had used the word a number of times in a video on the completion of Phase I that opened the meeting. Before the night was over, however, the word “phenomenal” truly did seem the best word to describe what’s in store with the Phase II renovation of the grade school. Let’s flash forward a few months to a muggy day in early September, after the renovations are completed and the kids are back in school. We’ll take an imaginary tour of the new facilities, starting with a look at the outside of the building. Exterior wall on east side of building The first thing we notice as we drive by the building is the new curtain wall on a large section of the east side of the building. The wall is similar in style to the ECC exterior. But this is not merely an aesthetic change. The old curtain wall had slowly been peeling away from the structure and needed to be replaced. No longer will teachers and students feel arctic breezes blowing in through the gaps in the wall! Carded entry for security As we enter the building through the new entrance on the A Avenue side of the building, we notice the carded entry system, which also is in place at the 24th Street entrance. The building is more secure with this system in place. The programmable cards issued to staff and other users can be set to allow access only at certain times, if desired. For example, members of a weekend basketball league can be issued cards that open the doors only between certain hours on Saturday. New heating and cooling system We feel the next major change. Remember, it’s a muggy day, but we find that the building is pleasantly cool. Yes, for the first time, our school building is air conditioned! Our teachers were able to set up their classrooms in late August and attend in-service planning days in comfort. Our students are able to focus on their studies during the hot days of early fall and late spring. As an added bonus, those with seasonal allergies have fewer problems in this controlled environment. When cold days arrive, the new heating system will deliver warm air evenly and quickly. You may not know that our old system delivered heat via steam pipes in the floors. As these pipes deteriorated, many classrooms developed hot spots where it was too hot for children to sit on the floor. Several floors had to be ripped open to repair damaged pipes, and more such work would have been necessary without the switch to the new system. Media center The next stop on our virtual tour is the new media center, a combined library and computer lab comprised of the old library and Mrs. Ohde’s former first grade classroom. (Mrs. Ohde’s first graders have moved to the former computer lab room.) One group of kids in the computer lab is using laptop computers to work on a project, while another group is selecting books in the library. A wall with windows and a door divides the two areas so the groups don’t disturb each other. A T-1 line provides fast Internet and phone access, while a new server ensures safe data storage for all the computer users on the St. Matthew campus. The computer lab is designed to be a multi-purpose room, so parishioners may use it for meetings and classes. New and renovated bathrooms …..Down the hallway, in the area that once was the hall and office space off the old east-side entrance to the school, are gleaming new boys’ and girls’ bathrooms, as well as a large custodian’s closet. In addition, the bathrooms off the gym have been thoroughly cleaned and the upstairs bathrooms have been completely renovated and made handicapped-accessible. What’s happened to the spaces where the old bathrooms were? The old boys’ bathroom on the first floor has been completely stripped down and turned into an office for the guidance counselor. The old girls’ bathroom and the storage room next door have been converted into an art storage room and a music practice room for small group instruction. By the way, as we’ve been walking around, did you notice the new hallway ceilings on the first floor as well as the improved lighting? Upstairs renovations After we head upstairs, we pass by the renovated teachers’ lounge, where several teachers are taking a lunch break. We poke our heads inside the renovated third-grade classrooms and are amazed at the changes. Where there were once two smaller classrooms, with a small computer room in between, there are now two spacious classrooms, with plenty of room for instructional activities. (In fact, the kids are working at computer pods in their rooms now.) Between the rooms is a small locker bay, which provides some sound insulation and also ensures that every child in the upper grades has an individual locker. Elevator and storage to come …..As we pause to get a drink at the new water fountain, we recall that an elevator shaft was built during the summer construction, then neatly hidden away. The elevator will not be installed until the new cafeteria is built during Phase IIIa. (Otherwise, the elevator would collide with Mrs. Vaughn’s basement desk!) Once the elevator is functioning, riders will be able to access all levels of the building without climbing stairs. (The elevator will have doors on two sides; it will open on one side by the fourth- and fifth-grade classrooms, then go up a bit higher and open on the other side by the third-grade classrooms.) Also during Phase III, a storage room will be built off the north side of the gym. We won’t need this storage space until the elevator machine room goes in, so construction has been deferred for now. As we head back downstairs, we find ourselves thinking with gratitude of all the parishioners who have donated funds to the Renovate and Renew project. Another major phase has been completed. It will be a lasting legacy for generations of children to come. Some facts and figures ¨ Phase I — construction of the Early Childhood Center — was completed on time and under budget by $100,000. ¨ The approved budget for Phase II is $1,702,556. An additional amount of approximately $211,000 will be shifted to Phase IIIa to cover the cost of completing the elevator installation and building the storage room off the gym. ¨ Our 2009 income from pledges, combined with our current Renovate and Renew checking balance and our capital savings will cover approximately $1 million of the Phase II expenses. We have a $2 million line of credit from the Archdiocese which will allow us to cover the rest of the construction expenses. Further pledged funds scheduled to be paid in 2010 and 2011 will allow us to pay back our draws from the line of credit. ¨ Phase II construction time is scheduled to be 10 weeks. During construction, most of the parking between the school and the church will be unavailable, although handicapped parking will be offered by the Kearn Hall entrance. by Mary Pat Muhlena