December 18, 2015

 

Dear friends,

 

We are writing with exciting news. As you know, our community has been raising funds to build a "cafegymatheatorium" or multi-purpose room. The capital campaign has been active for several years and those leading it, the Campaign Committee and the General Committee, are sensitive to the need to complete the task. As one member of the General Committee succinctly stated, "The children deserve facilities that support our curriculum and commitment to community."

 

One creative member of the capital team took a look at the existing plans with a fresh eye. His suggestions were innovative, fiscally prudent and able to be accomplished within an astonishingly quick time frame. With thoughtful input from all members of the General Committee, the following building plan has been embraced as a path for moving forward and will be completed in late August 2016.

 

PHASE I:  Once the ground is thawed sufficiently in the spring, work will begin on the Welcome Center, which will be located in front of the Lower School building. It will house Admissions, Business, Development, Reception, and the Head of School.

 

PHASE II:  At the conclusion of Preschool classes, the administrative offices in the upper building will be renovated to provide a fourth preschool room. Once completed, the five-day program that currently resides in the Grange will move to that newly created preschool classroom and students will begin the 2016-17 year in fresh surroundings.

 

PHASE III:  Work will begin on the Grange in June. The floor will be reinforced to accommodate a heavier load. Windows and the interior of the first floor of the building will be modified for indoor activities such as gym, all school gatherings, Celebration of Friends Days and a place to host events like the Back to School Picnic and the One World Café when the weather is uncooperative.

 

All three phases will be completed and ready for use in September 2016!

   

There are many benefits to this three-phase plan:

• It will give our community -- soon -- the multi-purpose room that we have needed for many years. 
• All preschool classrooms will be located in one building, supporting curricular scope and sequence, easier student transitions and a better traffic flow on campus. 
• Administrative staff will be housed together, making communications more efficient and effective and creating a central welcoming place for visitors and families.
• Our supportive community, along with gifts from Quaker organizations, has already raised the necessary funds to accomplish this fiscally conservative plan. 

The General Committee, the Capital Campaign Committee, faculty and staff are looking forward to these necessary and long-awaited improvements to our beloved Goshen Friends School.  We hope that you will join us in embracing this next step in Goshen's growth. 

 

Many thanks to those of you who have donated to the

Completing the Circle Campaign ! If you have yet to pledge to the campaign, we hope this news will inspire you to support our innovative efforts. Additional pledges and donations are always welcome and will be used to enhance the three-phase capital project.

 

As always, please contact Mimi Blackwell with questions, concerns or just to say, "Hooray, it will be exciting to start school in new spaces!"

 

In friendship,

 

 

Irene Crichton                                                             Mimi Blackwell

Clerk of the General Committee                              Head of School