As I like to say at the end of August, “Happy New Year!” We’re excited to see students in the halls today and tomorrow for orientation; we’ll be still more excited Wednesday to welcome everyone on the Red Carpet!
So many wonderful things are going on. We are greeting a record number of students this fall, about 945 wonderful souls from Pre-K to Twelfth Grade. Providence Academy’s original vision when we first opened 22 years ago was a school of approximately 1,000 students. Well, we are moving closer toward that vision!
* New Construction
And so, we are building again. A new 11-classroom addition began construction late spring! The beautiful addition is being added to the north side of the Upper School wing. The expansion will include a student-services office complex, an athletics team room, 4 science lab classrooms, a beautiful terrace outside the art studio, and more. We have been in the “quiet phase” of a capital campaign for several months, which through great generosity has given the school a big head start in raising funds for the buildout. We will launch the “public” phase of the campaign next month, which will raise additional funds for the current project and also for a new athletics pavilion and plaza south of Mithun Field, as well as for a substantial revamping of the Lower School playground. Stay tuned!
You’ll note that the Marian Shrine is under construction near the entrance to the central driveway. It will be splendid, and an important place for prayer and devotion. Our current target for a dedication ceremony is October; again, stay tuned!
*Parking Spaces
Please note that parking spaces will be at a premium this year, due to closure of the rear faculty parking lot for construction. We have increased by 19 the number of faculty and parking spaces in the east faculty/staff parking lot, and also assigned faculty parking around the circle drive to the west of the front lot. Later this week we will designate many spaces in the front lots for “visitors.” Please know, dear families, that those spaces are there to welcome you too!
*Pick Up and Drop Off
While protocols have been communicated separately, I’d like to highlight three matters:
First, we will be permitting left turns out of the front drive after pick up and drop off. Three lanes will be demarcated with cones: an entrance lane, a left turn out lane, and a right turn out lane. We will strongly encourage families, wherever possible, to use the “right-turn-only” exit at the southwest of the lot if you are planning to exit right. See Map
Second, the east entrance drive will be off limits for Lower School “late pickup” until 3:30 p.m. daily. We must keep the east drive and parking-lot circle drive open exclusively for our buses until after they have departed. See Map
Third, for the first day of school, Wednesday, we encourage families (especially Lower School families) to consider arrivals staggered alphabetically by last name:
7:45 – 8:00 – A-G
8:00 – 8:15 – H-O
8:15 – 8:30 – P-Z
This will help provide opportunities for everyone for beloved Red-Carpet photos, etc.