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The growth of our elementary
student body means that time, as well as space, is of the essence in the
Ames Street building expansion plans. The number of elementary students
jumped from 55 to 80 during the past academic year. We are expecting an
even greater increase in 2003, due partly to promotion of a large
kindergarten class (now in the Ashcroft Road preschool building) to Ames
Street next year, and to retention of this year's 5th graders into next
year's new sixth grade at Ames Street. The board is actively working on
a facilities plan that would allow the school to continue its expansion
to 6th grade.
We have already cleared the first major hurdle of
selecting an architect, with professional guidance by independent
educational consultants Kaufman & Arnold. After a rigorous screening
process, Boston-based firm Tappé Associates was chosen to design a
master plan for the Ames Street campus. Given a clear view of our
particular facilities needs, Tappé stood out among many other
architectural firms specializing in educational institutions. A master
planning committee was formed with representatives from Young Israel of
Sharon and from Striar Hebrew Academy. Both institutions have agreed on
a master plan designed by Tappé, including a proposed $1.5-million
phase-I expansion, which would more than double the current school-wing
floor space, from 5,000 to 11,000 square feet. Three new classrooms,
administrative space, a boiler/AC room, and two bathrooms are the
planned additions.
Another goal we are approaching is obtaining building
permits for the expansion. A large chunk of the proposed $1.5-million
cost will go into numerous changes to accommodate building-code and
zoning requirements, so advance planning in this area has been crucial.
After preliminary meetings with the town health department and building
inspector, we are now ready to contract with a Boston engineering firm
to design proposed plans for a new septic system, landscaping, and other
infrastructure changes that must accompany the footprint alterations.
Engineering monies are being drawn exclusively from funds earmarked for
the building expansion to avoid using any operating funds, at the
express request of the Board of Directors.
The third major hurdle is raising the $1.5 million
needed to complete the phase-I expansion. To date, $525K of building
funds have been donated by parents and extended families of Striar
Hebrew Academy students and by an individual private donor. Raising the
remaining two-thirds is of course another major goal for the expansion.
In the context of our larger development objectives to raise $8 million
for facilities and another $4 million for endowment, we're pursuing many
fundraising initiatives this year. One of these is to increase parental
commitment to 100%; another is to enlist the help of additional private
donors.
Stay tuned for further updates. |
