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By Erika Anderson, Staff Writer
ATLANTA—Though the rain dampened the luminarias that were to
light Archbishop John F. Donoghue’s path, it did nothing to hinder the
spirit of those who gathered at Christ the King School to celebrate completion
of the biggest construction and renovation project in school history.
The blessing on Nov. 6 began in the Cathedral. As the archbishop
presided, the dedication ceremony opened with an introduction by Peggy Warner,
school principal.
“With grateful hearts we gather together this evening to
thank the Lord for his goodness to the archdiocese and most especially for his
faithfulness to us as a community at Christ the King Cathedral Parish and
School. After years of preparation and work, we now present the fruits of our
labor in building the kingdom of God, and ask the Lord’s blessing upon the
completion of our work,” she said. “May Christ the King School’s
new addition and renovations reaffirm our commitment to grow as God’s holy
people. May all who see our work come to realize God’s presence in their
own lives.”
The project enhanced and renovated existing buildings at the
64-year-old school and also added new buildings, providing modern science and
media labs and more classrooms so student-teacher ratios could be reduced.
In his homily, Archbishop Donoghue said that children must be
given the gift of faith and the opportunity to learn of their history and
culture.
“And where do we do this, but in our schools—our schools
which are enjoying such a resurgence in life and growth during our time,”
he said, “our schools, which, with our homes, are the only legitimate
haven for the protection and formation of our beloved children, places for them
to escape the influences we hate to see in our world, but which we must still
admit, exist and influence in ways we cannot accept.”
Worldly influences, he continued, “promote selfishness over
self-sacrifice ... self-indulgence over sharing ... promote death as a
convenience, and scorn those who would accept life, with all its trouble and
challenges, because life itself is a sacred and inviolable gift from God.”
“Where can we insure that our children are protected from
these failings of our culture and our society?” the archbishop continued.
“... Where are the havens for our children, but here—in our churches,
in our schools, and within the embracing arms of those who love them, who
protect and guide them—our parents and families and teachers, our priests
and sisters, and all who are devoted, according to their own talents, to the
welfare of our Catholic children?”
Archbishop Donoghue compared Catholic education to salt, with its
power to enhance as well as preserve.
“Catholic education makes of our children more than they
would be otherwise—it brings out of them, not just an adequacy of talent,
but an excellence of talent, just as salt draws forth from the food upon which
it is cast, a truer, more perfected flavor,” he said. “... Catholic
education also preserves—it saves for the generations to come, the truths
of our Faith, the living practices and customs of our Faith, by making these
truths and practices impervious to decay—sealed solid and tight against
all the forces which would break them down, and dissolve them into the abyss of
history, where so much that is worthless, disintegrates and disappears
forever.”
Warner later addressed the archbishop on behalf of the school,
touching on the theme of the Jubilee Year.
“Opening new doors to Christ has always been special at
Christ the King School. Each day we open the doors of children’s hearts,
minds and souls to the word of God through Catholic teachings and academic
excellence presented in a Christ-centered environment,” she said.
“The committees, workers and families whose prayers and
support made our improvement and expansion dreams come true, were beacons of
inspiration every time we asked for them to share their time, talent or
treasure on behalf of our project. They never hid the light of support from
us.”
Warner also praised the CKS staff in her remarks.
“The faculty and staff of Christ the King School proved that
they are the salt of the earth by bearing the many interruptions and
disruptions of construction with good humor and patience and by being excellent
role models through it all.”
It is the students, Warner said, who are the “true
beneficiaries of this project.”
“It is they who are receiving a strong Catholic education in
a vastly improved setting which prepares them to go forth and do what we heard
in this evening’s Gospel—to do good deeds and glorify our heavenly
Father.”
Following the liturgy, the archbishop made his way throughout the
school, as parents, students and teachers lined the hallways, anxiously
listening for the sound of handbells, which accompanied the archbishop on his
journey of blessing.
The $5 million project is the largest the school has experienced
since the Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart opened it in 1936. In 1962, the Hyland
Center was added, giving the students a gymnasium.
As a parish offshoot of the 1997 “Building the Church of
Tomorrow” Capital Campaign, the school received $2 million in space and
improvements as part of the renovation project at the Cathedral. An additional
$2.4 million was generated through foundations, leadership gifts and pledges
from parents. In addition, $1.8 million was raised through a campaign last
fall.
Planning for the $5 million project began over five years ago as a
way of lowering the student-teacher ratio. The expansion program has added a
third class for grades one through six, reducing class size to student numbers
in the low 20s, which, Warner said, is a great enhancement to the school.
“It has been a tremendous morale booster for the staff and
teachers and parents,” she said. “Our goal was never to make the
school grow, but to make the class size smaller.”
There are currently 566 students enrolled at Christ the King, just
short of the capacity enrollment of 570 students in kindergarten through eighth
grade.
Tee Barnes, foundations chair and building co-chair, said that she
became involved with the project because of her desire to lower the class
sizes. Craig Mullins was co-chair of the campaign.
“It was very important not only for the students and
teachers, but also to keep enrollment high,” Barnes said. “This is a
school people really want to send their children to. It’s been
incredible.”
The project has added 12,000 square feet to the school. This
includes the first floor of the new parish center, which houses three new
classrooms and the school’s media center. Though the majority of this
space is for direct educational use, some areas are provided for student
activities, staff, administration and storage.
The centerpiece of the project, designed by architects Surber,
Barber, Choate & Hertlein of Atlanta, and built by Atlanta contractor H.C.
Beck, is a two-story classroom building along Peachtree Way. Workers returned
to the original limestone quarry that produced the school’s existing
limestone building so that the new facade would match both the school and
Cathedral buildings. This building provides new classrooms as well as a
state-of-the-art science lab. Construction was completed in late August.
Barnes said that it would be difficult for someone who was
unfamiliar with the school to distinguish the old from the new.
“The idea was not to have a big stucco addition that screamed
‘1999,’” she said. “I really think we achieved that.”
The D’Youville Building, named for the saint who founded the
Grey Nuns, was also renovated. A new larger reception area was added. Prior to
the renovations, administrators were dispersed throughout the building but are
now able to work together on one floor.
“It has made having spur of the moment meetings so much
easier,” Warner said. “You don’t have to go and try to round
everyone up.”
As part of the D’Youville renovations, the school clinic was
enlarged and improved and a new, larger, soundproof music room was located on
the second floor. The cafeteria was remodeled. A second floor was also added to
the breezeway connector between the D’Youville Building and classrooms.
A monitored main entrance allows for enhanced security and a
courtyard was created in conjunction with the new entrance. The courtyard will
also be used for small gatherings and events.
The school’s chapel was renovated, including restoration of
the unique stained glass windows that depict the work of the Grey Nuns.
The project included the installment of a central heating and air
conditioning system and renovations to the outside of the school, such as
landscaping, and to the playground. A covered playground was added, allowing
the children to play outside even in rainy weather.
“It is better than we could have imagined,” Warner said.
“Not only has it been exceeding our expectations visually, but it has made
a tremendous difference in the school climate.” |
