Timeline
- What is the timeline for starting the build? How much money has to be raised to start?
The archdiocese requires that one half of the funds necessary must be ‘in the bank’ before construction can begin. If the total balance is not initially secured through the campaign, the remainder would come in the form of a loan from the archdiocese to be paid back in the future.
- How long will it take to build the new space?
A typical timeline for this construction would be 18 months.
New Construction / Possibility for Expansion
- What are the grades/classes included in the initial build – PreK thru 5?
The initial build is for two Pre-K classrooms, K-5 academic and support spaces.
- Does the design accommodate expansion of 6-8th grade if we start with K-5?
Yes. The initial plan will be built so if 6-8 grades are added, it will fit appropriately on the site.
- When will decisions be made as to whether it will be K-5 or K-8th? Who makes this decision?
The focus is to build out the current K-5 space. Adding 6th alone and/or through 8th grades is a parish decision which requires the approval of the pastor and the Archdiocese. Further study would be required to ensure that all aspects (academic / athletics, etc.) of a Jr. High would be met.
- Is there a plan for a senior high school in future campaigns?
A plan for senior high would need significant discussion to be successful.
- Will the old preschool/daycare facilities be torn down?
The future of the unit is not fully determined at this point.
- Has an architect been hired for the project?
The parish has hired HTK Architecture for this project.
- Would the diocese recommend who we use as a contractor?
The diocese can provide recommendations, but the construction would most likely go out for bid to obtain competitive pricing.
- How many students per classroom?
The classrooms could accommodate 25 students by state regulation, however Mr. Simons recommends that we ordinarily limit the number of students per class to 20 due to frequent special needs and accommodations.
- Is there a plan in place for the contractors to give opinions and suggestions thru the architectural drawing stage?
We would encourage this to provide the possibility of value engineering to ensure that the parish sees the biggest benefit for the financial investment.
- Storage underground, is that possible
Storage underground is a possibility, but is more practical from a fiscal perspective to be on grade.
- Would the old school be used until the opening of the new school building?
The plan is to build the new academic and support spaces before relocating from the current school building.
- Will existing furnishings be repurposed
There is a portion of the budget allocated for new furnishings.
- Construction is close to the current school, will access to the existing school be maintained?
Even with the close proximity of the new construction, classes will continue to be held in the existing school.
- Will there be a Pre K office near classrooms?
Yes, it will be on the north end of the north Pre K classroom.
- Will there be multiple bathrooms in Pre K?
There will be a Pre K restroom with multiple stations to satisfy state requirements
- Pre-K outdoor access
Pre-K classrooms are required to have exterior access directly from the spaces according to code.
- What will happen with the Existing building? Can it be used for storage, kitchen, gym?
The plan is to demolish the existing building after new construction is complete. There would still be a cost to maintain the existing building, even if just used for storage.
- Maintenance & Opening cost
The building committee along with the architecture firm and their engineers will make every effort to ensure that materials used will make the building as efficient as possible and reduce operating costs.
Cost
- What is the cost of the fundraising consultants?
$98,000 total for the feasibility study as well as campaign support for three years.
- What is the expense budget for building a new school?
The estimated cost to build the school as proposed, including demolition of the existing school is $6.3 million.
- What is the projected cost of the proposed plan? (Demo and build)
The current estimate for two Pre-K classrooms, K-5 and support spaces is $6.3 million.
- Are there any estimates for the cost of adding a kitchen/cafeteria and gym in the future?
The addition of the kitchen/cafeteria is estimated at $1.3 million
The addition of the future gym is $2 million
Funding & Fundraising
- What is the fund-raising goal?
The initial goal is $6.3 million to build the Pre-K and K-5 space.
Stretch goal is $9.5 million so that the gym, new kitchen and cafeteria can all be built.
The sooner that pledges are realized, the sooner construction can begin.
- What is the timeline of the fundraising process?
The campaign will request a pledge that can be payable over three years.
- Does the diocese commit any funds towards the building of the new school?
The Archdiocese is not obliged to contribute funds to this project, but we will ask that they do so. What the Archdiocese chooses to contribute financially is up to the discretion of the Archbishop.
- Are there grants available we could apply for?
Church Development has over 27 grant opportunities identified. Church Development also has a grant writer to assist in applying for these opportunities.
- Will there be “family packets” for fundraising similar to past campaigns for the parish hall?
Yes, there will be a campaign brochure provided prior to commitment Sunday.
- Are alumni and parishioners that have moved being asked to donate?
Yes, every effort is being made to reach out to these groups for pledges. If you know of anyone, please contact
- Will In-kind donations be accepted
In-kind donations could be accepted depending on what specifically it is. For construction assistance, that would be a decision for the winning contractor. This could have insurance / labor law issues.
- Will there be opportunities for someone to give a gift, name a room after them?
At this point, discussion surrounding a donor wall has been met with support. Naming specific spaces within the building will need to be discussed further.
- When funds are given to the parish, where are they stored, and does it accrue interest while we continue to fundraise?
When gifts arrive, they are transferred to our deposit and loan savings fund at the Archdiocese, which is where all of our savings are kept. This allows the money to accrue interest and soften the impact of inflation.
Security and Safety
- What will the security system consist of? What will be the entrance policy
The new building will meet all state standards for security as well as take the utmost care to ensure that the campus is as safe and secure as possible. The policy of signing in to enter the school as a guest, as well as Archdiocesan VIRTUS (safe-environment policy) will remain in place.
- Will there be a safety shelter and a tornado/storm shelter?
Yes, HTK architects has devised a solution that will provide this kind of space for the entire school in case of any such emergency.
Aesthetics
- What would building material be?
This will be more informed upon pledge amounts. Currently, the building will be a pre-engineer steel building with an exterior veneer that will resemble the parish hall where the two will be joined. The remainder of the building will be wrapped in a material to blend well and provide a pleasing aesthetic view.
Parish Hall Co-use
- Will the use of the parish hall and kitchen be temporary?
Yes, the plan is to use the parish hall and kitchen temporarily in order to get the new academic and support spaces constructed with a future kitchen / cafeteria built.
- How would the conflict between parish use of hall and kitchen be reconciled with the school use of those facilities?
Coordination will occur between the parish office and school offices. Priority will be given to funeral dinners and other parish events.
- What about storage concerns for school needs in the parish hall?
The building committee, along with the architecture firm is continuing to work with all affected parties to ensure that adequate storage is available.
- How many times per year will there be an overlap in use of the hall by the school and church events?
Looking at previous years, there are 24-30 events that would have conflicts in the parish hall.
- Additional food storage to separate parish from school food
A walk in cooler is planned specifically for the school food.
Other
- Does the street belong to the city?
The city has vacated Cottonwood St to the parish, but the city maintains an easement for the waterline running the length from 1st to 2nd Ave. The building committee has been in contact with the city on this and HTK Architects have been working more in depth with them.
- What does “razing a building” mean?
Razing is the same as demolition.
- What are the statistics and correlations between Catholic education and practicing Catholics/Priests/Religious life?
A survey found that 77% of adults who attended Catholic schools (across all age groups) still consider themselves Catholic, compared to 69% of adults raised Catholic who went to public schools. While that difference is notable, the effect of Catholic education is more statistically significant among younger generations. For example, among millennials, (the millennial generation is considered to begin with those born in 1982) 34% of those who went to Catholic grade school and 39% of those who went to Catholic high school still go to Mass weekly as adults, whereas a shocking 5% of those from the same age group who were raised Catholic but did not go to a Catholic School still attend Mass weekly.
Another study found that among never married male Catholics, 26% of those who attended Catholic school considered a vocation to the priesthood, compared to 9% for those who did not attend a Catholic school. Their female counterparts showed somewhat similar differences. 16% of those who had attended Catholic schools had considered a religious vocation, compared to 6% of those who did not attend Catholic schools.
For the sources of this data and more helpful information visit this page
As always, it is important to remember that the family is the primary source of formation and the strongest indicator of whether a child will continue practicing their faith or consider a religious vocation.
- Is Fr. Carter being brought up to date on all our meetings?
Yes, Fr. Carter is either personally involved or provided updates for all meetings, and has been a very active part of the entire process.
- What about the empty lot at the corner of 2nd and Exchange?
At this time, there is not a specific planned use for this lot, and it is too far away from the construction site to provide building space for the school.
- Will there be a chapel in the school
We do not believe that a chapel inside of the school itself is necessary, due to the proximity of the Church as well as the use of various parts of the school building for morning prayer and other devotions.
- What will the new kitchen be able to accommodate?
Though it will not be included in the current phase, it will be a full production kitchen to prepare breakfast and lunch meals.
- Are company/corporate donations to the project tax deductible?
We recommend checking with your tax expert, but we have received many donations from businesses which were tax deductible for those businesses.
- What are the problems with the current school
The current school building has issues with a number of utilities. Concerns with the roof and ceiling integrity remain persistent. Accessibility has been a problem to the point that some are unable to choose Sacred Heart School. Many of the typical problems with old buildings, such as asbestos and wiring problems, actually make it more expensive to conduct a meaningful renovation than it would be to build new.
- Will transportation from other communities be available?
At this time, our families who commute in from other communities do so on their own, but we are open to possibilities to collaborate on transportation in the future.
- What is the square footage for phases
Initial phase: 15,000 sq ft
Cafeteria and Kitchen: ~4,800 sq ft
Gym: ~5,200 sq ft
- What is the timeline to build phases?
The timing of phases will depend on the outcome of fundraising.
- Playground equipment would have to be moved – is this included in soft costs?
Since the expense tied to this movement is completely unknown, it is not included in soft costs. The architect calculated soft cost based on square footage and the outcome of past projects
- Are there examples from other churches we can use?
HTK architects has worked with many schools, including Catholic Schools. We have also consulted with other schools and their staff on various subjects related to a new building, as well as other Catholic schools who co-use their facilities with church events.
- If we build a new school, will we need to increase enrollment? If so, how would we do that?
Enrollment has thankfully been increasing for several years. We are taking serious steps to reach families from other parishes and make sure that enrollment is still heading in the right direction.
- Did the feasibility study determine the parish’s capacity for debt?
It did not. The Archdiocese typically wants to avoid any substantial debt, especially if there is a risk of it being long term.