Bishop Peter Jugis presided over the groundbreaking ceremony Nov. 30 for the Fulford Athletic & Activity Complex at Christ the King High School in Huntersville. The 21,800-square-foot facility will enlarge the gymnasium, create locker rooms and provide a full-size stage for performances and assemblies. Participating in the ceremony (from left): Alicia and Adam Bowman, general co-chairs of the capital campaign committee; Dr. Carl Semmler, principal; Bishop Jugis; Father John Putnam, pastor of St. Mark Church in Huntersville and school chaplain; Father Timothy Reid, vicar of education for Catholic Schools, Dr. Gregory Monroe, superintendent of Catholic Schools; and Art and Georgette McMahon, general co-chairs of the capital campaign committee. (SueAnn Howell | Catholic News Herald)HUNTERSVILLE — To the delight of hundreds of Christ the King High School students, diocesan and school officials joyfully turned the dirt Nov. 30 at Christ the King High School – kicking off a $6.6 million expansion project for a new athletic and performance facility.
The Fulford Athletic & Activity Complex is the second major expansion in the high school’s 10-year history. The 21,800-square-foot building will include a full-size court and two cross courts in the gymnasium, expanded seating for more than 720 spectators, men’s and women’s locker rooms for home and visiting teams, and athletic director and trainers’ offices.
The gymnasium will also be home to a full-size stage with state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems for student performances and school-wide events.
Bishop Peter Jugis presided over the groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday, held outside the high school under Carolina blue skies with the whole school community in attendance.
“The work we are beginning today should enliven our faith and make us grateful,” Bishop Jugis said. “We know the familiar words of the psalm: ‘If the Lord does not build the house, in vain do its builders labor.’ Whenever we look to the interests of our neighbor or the community and serve them, we are in a sense God’s coworkers.”
Gratitude was also the theme of other speakers at the groundbreaking event.
“I am so grateful to all the people who have assisted us to reach this day,” said Dr. Gregory Monroe, Catholic Schools superintendent.
“I have no doubt that this new building, once erected, will be a reflection of the perfection student-athletes seek and will be training grounds for great victories in the years to come. But, more importantly, it will be about the virtue that is cultivated – and the formation that these student-athletes receive in fortitude, tenacity and courage, and in collegiality when they come together in teamwork.”
Christ the King’s principal, Dr. Carl Semmler, added, “This long-awaited project is representative of our CTK community in so many ways. The collaborative work and generosity of so many have led us to this moment.
“The 250 families who pledged and donated to this project include alumni, current and future families of CTK students. Their generosity has been overwhelming and humbling. We are truly blessed.”
A capital campaign, launched in May 2019, raised more than $3.96 million in local school community pledges. The project is supplemented by $2.64 million in Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools funding. Construction is expected to take 10-12 months.
“We are honored, humbled and grateful and look forward to seeing the impact this new space will have on generations of Crusaders to come,” Semmler said.
Bishop Jugis prayed before he blessed the site with holy water, “Let us pray for God’s help through this celebration, my brothers and sisters, that He will bring this construction to a successful completion and that His protection will keep those who work on it safe from injury.”
Christ the King High School serves families in the growing north Charlotte areas of Lake Norman and Huntersville. Established in 2011 with an inaugural class of 26 students, the school’s enrollment is now 364 students.
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter
CHARLOTTE — A new program will enable children with special needs to remain enrolled in the Diocese of Charlotte’s Catholic schools from kindergarten all the way through high school.
The Options Program, which launches in August for the 2021-’22 academic year, creates a path for kindergarten-fifth grade students enrolled in the Matthew Morgan program at St. Patrick School and the MAP program at St. Ann School who continue at Holy Trinity Middle School in Charlotte to go on to Charlotte Catholic High School. Students in the PACE program at Our Lady of the Assumption School can go on to Charlotte Catholic as well.
In elementary school, the Matthew Morgan program at St. Patrick School serves students with Down Syndrome. The MAP program at St. Ann School and the PACE program at Our Lady of the Assumption School are designed for students with special needs who require a modified academic curriculum. All three of these programs matriculate to Holy Trinity’s MAP (Modified Academic Program) for students in sixth to eighth grades.
The diocese’s Catholic schools have served students with special learning needs for many years, but this additional effort will open the door to a high school education and opportunities for higher education.
“What makes this new is a curriculum specifically developed to bring these two programs together and creates a ‘certificate’ path that will allow these students to explore options on college/university campuses beyond high school,” said Amy Tobergte, principal of St. Patrick School and among those spearheading the Options Program.
“We call it the Options Program because it gives options for all students, so they all have the opportunity to learn in a Catholic environment,” said Angela Montague, former principal of St. Patrick School when the Matthew Morgan Program began about 18 years ago and now assistant principal at Charlotte Catholic High School.
“It’s been really exciting” to be a part of developing the program, said Stephen Dey, parent of a special-needs daughter who just graduated from Holy Trinity Middle School. Avery Dey will be among the first students to participate in the Options Program this fall at Charlotte Catholic.
Dey himself is a 1985 graduate of Charlotte Catholic, and a member of the diocesan school board serving as a parent advisor on the Catholic Schools Office’s Special Needs committee.
Dey noted that the Options Program is still in the initial stages, but he encouraged parents of special-needs students to “have the endgame in mind,” by supporting their child with developing their social skills and looking ahead to what they may want to do beyond high school.
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter
Did you know?
At the Diocese of Charlotte Catholic Schools, every child is given equal opportunity to excel. All 19 schools in our system provide learning support initiatives to meet the educational needs of all students. Four special learning programs are offered:
- Matthew Morgan Program (MMP) tailored for students with Down Syndrome
- Modified Academic Program (MAP)
- Providing Academically Appropriate Catholic Education (PACE)
- Quest program (availability varies between schools) tailored for students with autism
For more information
Learn more about the Options Program at Charlotte Catholic High School and other educational programs for students with enhanced educational needs online at www.charlottediocese.org/macs/special-learning-programs or contact Sissie Kilby, admissions coordinator, at 704-370-3273 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..