Happy New Year!

With the much-anticipated welcoming of 2021, we also welcome the ongoing excitement and momentum of the TSI Building Project! At this point, the project is more than 60% complete and many of the portions of the project are shaping up very nicely.

The Lord continues to bless our community with this project, and we are very excited to be able to share the progress.

What’s Happening:

In terms of the actual project, there are three main sections of the project that are considered “new build” and each of them are at different stages. And then we have additional areas that we are renovating.

  • In the middle school wing, crews are putting the finishing touches on the interior and exterior of the building.
  • In the main secondary section, we are doing quite well timewise. This is one of the areas that is visible from the road and has been fun to watch its steady progression.
  • In the Learning Commons (also visible from the road), there are many things going on internally that are exciting.
  • In current spaces being renovated, the downstairs International Students offices and waiting area is now completed and occupied. The cardio room is now completed and occupied.

WHAT’S NEXT:

The middle school wing: January has been targeted as “finishing month.”

  • The final paint touch-ups will be completed.
  • The music room will receive some special “dampers” in the ceiling, and millwork will get installed. The doors are expected to be completed and the finishing touches will be added.
  • Final millwork and doors will be installed in all classrooms and the Learning Support Services (LSS) room.
  • Furniture has been ordered and will be assembled and placed in all classrooms and LSS room.
  • The lighting installation throughout all classrooms, collaboration spaces, and open areas will get finalized.
  • The flooring installation is mostly complete with some final touches happening throughout the entire interior.
  • Wayfinding will be installed.
  • A new key system will be installed and implemented.
  • An occupancy permit will be applied for!

The secondary wing: We will be working on both the interior and exterior of this section.

  • Interior painting will continue.
  • Interior window glazing will be completed.
  • Flooring installation will commence.
  • The operable walls will get installed.
  • Millwork installation will commence.
  • Washroom partitions will get installed.
  • Exterior cladding (metal siding) will start to be installed.

The Learning Commons and front reception: Some important additions will happen in January.

  • Steel stud framing will continue to be installed.
  • Electrical and Plumbing will continue to get roughed in.
  • Fire spray and spray foam will be installed.

Renovations of the current spaces at the secondary campus:

  • The upstairs International Students offices are now being fully renovated.
  • The secondary admin wing is receiving a significant makeover that includes new interior windows, new flooring, a few walls moved, millwork demolition, new electrical and HVAC to support updated spaces, mudding, taping and painting, and door installations where needed. This work is 90% complete and is expected to be finalized by mid-January.

Water damage cleanup:

We had the unfortunate challenge of having two older classrooms receive significant water damage due to heavy rains in December (this had nothing to do with the construction project). Because of this damage, and because these rooms were designated to be upgraded later in the project, the crews worked on these classrooms over the Christmas break to upgrade them. The converted middle school classrooms are now completed and students/teachers are enjoying their upgraded spaces.

TSI 2.0

As most people know, our This Square Inch (TSI) campaign raised $10.5 million to help fund this project. However, the total cost of the project (including the middle school additions) is close to $21 million. We have been quietly fundraising to help bridge this gap, and at our November Annual Society Meeting, we announced the launching of TSI 2.0.

As part of TSI 2.0, we are hosting a TSI 2.0 Connect event on Zoom for all families who have joined our school in the last three years (since we closed the TSI campaign in 2017). All new families should have received an email invitation. We are excited about TSI 2.0 and look forward to providing updates in future TSI Monthly emails regarding totals raised and total new members of the 3T Tally (people who have gifted their time, talent, or treasure). 

Thanks again for your prayers and support–especially during this unsettling time. We continue to celebrate this project as a community project and have appreciated the many levels of support we continue to receive here at This Square Inch.

If you have any questions or concerns, please be in touch.

Julius Siebenga, Executive Director  
Steve Atsma, TSI Project Coordinator  

Photos of the work done in December and a socially distanced Christmas meal co-hosted by ACS and Fricia Construction to celebrate our appreciation to our trade partners.

Thanks to our trade partners who have already contributed to the project: