GASTONIA — St. Michael School, a beloved fixture in Gastonia for more than 70 years, has a fresh and exciting new look thanks to an extensive $1.6 million renovation.
Students, faculty and school leaders celebrated the successful completion of the project with a ribbon-cutting and special tour Oct. 17.
The celebration marked “a new beginning” for the school, noted Father Lucas Rossi, pastor of St. Michael Parish, who recalled the school’s modest beginnings in 1942 with 22 students taught by the Sisters of Mercy in a house on the corner of Jackson and York streets. Established in 1942, St. Michael School has been at its current location since 1952.
“We’re being entrusted once again with the great mission of bringing souls to Christ. This is the sole purpose of the beautifully renovated St. Michael Catholic School,” Father Rossi said. “It is both a center of learning and a family for God’s children.”
For Principal Sheila Levesque, the celebration was a moment for the entire school community to celebrate, especially the students.
“This summer has been busy, with a sense of excitement in the air. Staff have been working hard on resources and preparing the spaces for our students, giving them an over-the-top opportunity in instruction, design, collaboration, innovations and hands-on, global thinking opportunities,” Levesque said.
The renovation project was funded through a combination of a $990,000 gift, a $500,000 grant from the Diocese of Charlotte’s historic “Forward in Faith, Hope, and Love” capital campaign, and another $110,000 raised through school fundraisers.
The $990,000 gift comes from Shea Homes, a new home construction company in the Charlotte area. John Shea, a parishioner of St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte, said his family “believes in the education and values taught by the dedicated teachers at Catholic schools.”
The project featured renovation of the existing library to create a dynamic and state-of-the-art STEM Lab and Maker Space; renovation of the existing science lab to expand capabilities for hands-on learning and experimentation; and renovation of the current technology infrastructure. The connected labs for STEM and science instruction offer students the opportunity to “think it” and “do it,” with 3D printers, Cricuts, patterns, robots, circuits and more.
“For the last several years we’ve noticed in our students a real interest in science, technology, engineering and math,” Levesque said. “We’ve seen students and teachers work hard to tap into STEM resources and as a result we’ve seen success in local competitions, including placing first overall and first and second in the Gaston County STEM and engineering fairs. The excitement and success in STEM made it clear to us that we needed to develop a space to really give students the tools and space to excel in STEM pursuits.”
“We feel like we have that opportunity now with a brand new environment for learning and experimenting and a new teacher dedicated to developing the skill set of all of our students beginning at an early age,” she said.
The school’s new look starts at the front door, with a newly-configured entrance that provides a welcoming but secure access point for visitors. Security features include LobbyGuard, a visitor management system that enhances school safety.
Upgrades continue into each classroom, with SmartTVs and high-speed wireless internet connectivity to aid teachers and students in learning. A new green screen connected with SmartTV “will allow our students leadership opportunities to be on live TV for afternoon prayers and announcements,” Levesque added.
The renovation project also includes a new special education classroom; restoration of the elementary school restrooms; new roof; and new rooftop HVAC equipment.
New furniture, fresh paint, flooring and lighting fixtures completed the makeover.
Vincent Ciccarelli of Insight Architects, PC, in Charlotte and Tim Laframboise of Southside Constructors in Charlotte were the lead architect and general contractor, respectively. Both were present at the ribbon-cutting ceremony and enjoyed touring the space with students and teachers.
Emmett Sapp, of the diocesan properties office, expressed gratitude to Ciccarelli and Laframboise for their hard work.
“We came to this project knowing that it was going to be a major challenge to completely renovate this school in a couple of months,” Sapp said. “We really appreciate the work that they did to get us to where we are today. It’s just been exciting to watch the transformation of this school.”
“I believe in our school, in our students and parents, our faculty and our community. St. Michael Catholic School is here to serve, to educate and to foster love. We are here to educate the whole child and we welcome you to visit, tour, register and prepare for an amazing experience,” Levesque said.
St. Michael School is a pre-K through 8th grade school that strives to educate the whole child: spiritually, emotionally, socially, intellectually, artistically and physically. The school is fully accredited through AdvancED and welcomes students of all faiths and backgrounds. This year’s enrollment totals approximately 135 students.
For details or to schedule a personal tour, call the school at 704-865-4382 or go online to www.stmichaelcs.com.
— Patricia L. Guilfoyle, Editor
