OACS News Service

Beacon Christian Schools were renovated with new facilities and an updated entrance.
School undergoes major renovations
Grand Reopening planned for June 2
Monday, April 30, 2007 -- Michelle Strutzenberger
Major renovations were completed recently at Beacon Christian Schools in St. Catharines. A grand reopening is planned June 2.

Karen Gerritsma, principal of the elementary school, says the changes are part of a larger plan to enhance the school’s programs as well as profile in the community.

She notes that parts of the school facilities were almost 50 years old “and not very attractive anymore.”

“We did it with the kind of mentality that if we build it, our prayer is that they will come, with the goal of offering a wonderful service to our Niagara community.”

Gerritsma says the hope is to see a significant increase in enrolment over the next two years, with at least 30 new families by the fall of 2007.

Changes to the secondary school building were completed last year and included a “facelift” to the entryway as well as reorganization of classrooms to allow for a student lounge and library.

The renovations to the elementary school building, located on the same campus, were completed in March.

Last year the school had to be closed a month early for demolishing to begin. Since that time only one wing of the school has been available for use.

“We called ourselves part of the dispersion,” says Gerritsma with a laugh. Portables and a church across the road became temporary classrooms for about seven months.

The elementary school building now has nine extra classrooms, a band-room, multi-purpose room, several erg rooms, an art-science lab, and larger library, updated computer lab and enlarged junior and senior kindergarten facilities.

There is now a designated middle school area, located on the top floor of the new wing.

“We’re very excited about our middle school program,” says Gerritsma. “We have some very specific ideas for how to make that more student learning friendly.”

The renovation project was a $7-million investment.

“By the Lord’s grace, we have raised $4.5 million of that,” says Gerritsma. “The campaign continues for that.”

Gerritsma says that plans for the grand reopening are still in the making but it is intended to be an event “that the whole community will want to participate in.”

Beacon Christian Schools has 250 elementary students and 95 secondary students.