As of early March, total commitments to the PaduaPlus+ Campaign stand at $4,911,007. Our current goal is to reach $5.5 million to invest strategically on what matters most – our students, along with enriching our curriculum and helping to transform our school.
Summer Construction 2019
For many years, the Northeast Entrance, often referred to as the back entrance, has served as one of the primary points for entering and leaving the Padua Franciscan building. Waiting for a ride in a congested stairway because of inclement weather will soon be a memory of the past. Thanks to the PaduaPlus+ Campaign gifts of two anonymous donors and the generosity of the Class of 1965, the Northeast Entrance will be transformed from a set of double doors into an inviting vestibule.
This expanded lobby area, as well as an outdoor canopy, will welcome students, parents and visitors. The refurbished entrance will also provide a protected environment where students can socialize or study while awaiting transportation, with a glass enclosure for easy viewing of the pick-up area. The area will be dedicated to Tom Kohuth, who served the Padua community for 50 years as a math teacher, football coach and mentor.
Plans call for construction to begin as soon as school is dismissed for summer. When students return in August, they will be welcomed by an inviting, brand-new portal to the school.
At the same time as improvements are taking place on the exterior
of the school, classroom renovations will be underway inside. On the 2nd floor, three
science classrooms will be renovated in a way similar to the Chemistry Labs
that were completed in the summer of 2018.
Additional sinks and eye wash stations will provide
added safety for students and teachers.
Modern cabinetry will allow more storage
areas. New teacher presentation tables and student
lab tables will enhance the learning
experience for students. This last stage of renovations will complete the updating
of all science classrooms.
We will be investing more than $50,000 into new technology in our Computer Labs, including dozens of new laptops. We will also be purchasing new furniture that encourages student collaboration.
This summer, five classrooms on the first floor will also receive a facelift, including new carpet, window shades, fresh paint, dropped ceilings and LED lights. By the beginning of the 2019–2020 school year, almost all first and second floor classrooms on the west half of the building will have been renovated.