On Wednesday night, Saint Mark’s High School announced a multi-year comprehensive plan for major renovations to the school’s campus in Pike Creek.
The renovation plan is the largest capital campaign in the school’s 53-year history and will focus on improvements to six key areas:
- Innovation and technology
- Fine and performing arts
- Campus ministry and student life
- Athletics and student fitness
- Endowment
- Fund for St. Mark’s
“A lot of it is driven by the program. What are we doing now that they weren’t doing when the school was built? What sort of facility do you need to support current and future programs?” said Tom Fertal, president of St. Mark’s High School since 2019.
When Fertal joined the school four years ago, his first order of business was creating a master plan for school improvements. Since then, those renovations have been prioritized based on which areas have the highest need, he said.
The entire project will cost $8 million and will take about three years to complete. The school’s last major capital project was 25 years ago.
The money to pay for the project comes from a mix of individual donors and foundations, and an outpouring of support for the school has resulted in gifts from 60 donors already totaling $5.5 million, said Fertal.
The first phase of the project, named the “Renewing the Vision” campaign, is already underway, with some renovations to the six key areas already completed.
Totaling $1 million, innovation and technology improvements include the creation of a robotics lab/makerspace, the creation of an Esports center, the development of an augmented reality learning lab and turning a current TV room into a multipurpose media and broadcast studio.
Fine and performing arts renovations, totaling $1 million feature projects like renovating the theatre control room, upgrading the band room, renovating the orchestra pit and upgrading sound and lighting in the theatre.
About $800,000 of improvements are earmarked for the campus ministry and student life and include the installation of a low ropes/leadership challenge course, creating an outdoor gathering space featuring a multi-use pavilion and renovating the Student Leadership Center.
Athletics, fitness needs
Athletics and student fitness needs total $2.3 million and feature the addition of a fitness and training center, the development of a master campus plan for the outdoor athletic facilities and the addition and development of a wrestling facility and multi-purpose space.
The endowment portion of the campaign, which serves to provide tuition assistance to students in need, seeks to fulfill a $2 million quota.
The Fund for St. Mark’s, the final component of the master plan, seeks to secure $900,000 in annual fund donations over the next three years. These resources support faculty and staff professional development, student programming and enrichment activities and tuition assistance.
Since Fertal’s appointment as president of St. Mark’s in 2019, the school jumped from about 500 students during the 2019-2020 school year, the lowest enrollment count in the history of St. Mark’s, to 770 students during the 2022-2023 school year, a 54% increase.
As the school heads toward a modernized learning environment and the potential for an increased student population, the master plan aims to provide the necessary resources and opportunities to accommodate the St. Mark’s community.
The majority of the plan’s projects include retooling already-existing spaces within the school. The only new addition currently on the table is the creation of a fitness center.
High-traffic areas
All renovations that take place in high-traffic areas or include resources frequently used by students will take place during the summer, while the remaining improvements will carry on throughout the academic year, said Fertal.
As the first phase of the campaign continues, the school has already outlined a plan for future expansion that is needed pending the accrual of further funding.
The call-to-action for future expansion totals $23 million and includes improvements such as the development of a football/track complex, renovating locker rooms, adding an overnight retreat center and the creation of a culinary instructional kitchen.
“Our trajectory is good, and that’s really why we’ve gotten the response we have from our school’s donors,” said Fertal. “It’s an investment in the future.”
