September 2021 featured many new and exciting milestones for grades 5-12 students and staff to use for their learning. They came back to a school that looked drastically different from what they left in June just a few months previous. Thanks to significant renovations of current spaces, many of the older spaces look and feel brand new! Overall, the TSI Building Project continues to march forward towards the ultimate goal of completion.

WHAT’S HAPPENED:

LEARNING COMMONS: The front Learning Commons is nearing completion with an expectation to go for permit in the month of November. A few key things that were completed include:

  • carpet installation throughout
  • stage lighting and sound installed
  • theatre curtains installed
  • furniture received 
  • gas fireplace installed

MIDDLE SCHOOL GYMNASIUM: The middle school gymnasium was lengthened by 16 feet over the summer resulting in what appears to be a brand-new gym. The students are loving this space!

SECONDARY AND MIDDLE RENOVATIONS: The older secondary classrooms, a couple of older middle school classrooms, plus all the secondary hallways/corridors received a complete overhaul during the summer. Students returned to school and couldn’t believe the difference. Most lockers were torn out, the hallways are now carpeted, there is new lighting, new paint, some new hallways, and an overall feeling of a new school. Other than a few places where furniture needs to be installed, this work is largely complete.

EXTERIOR HARDSCAPING AND LANDSCAPING: The parking lot on the east side of the property received significant upgrades during the summer. The beautiful new playground is 80% complete.

WHAT’S NEXT:

FRONT ENTRANCE AND LEARNING COMMONS: As mentioned above, we hope to submit the Learning Commons and main entrance for an occupational use permit in November. This will allow us to occupy 95% of the new building. We look forward to this milestone of the project! The final work in October & November (both before and after permit) includes:

  • furniture assembly and installation 
  • millwork on the front stage installation
  • wayfinding and artwork installation

SECONDARY ADDITION: We obtained an occupancy permit last May for the secondary west wing addition and the students and staff are enjoying the use of it. We are still waiting on a few minor additions:

  • blinds installations throughout
  • additional furniture installation
  • wayfinding installation

MIDDLE SCHOOL ADDITION: In the middle school wing, we obtained an occupancy permit last spring and this space is being well used! There are few minor additions that we are still waiting on:

  • blinds installations throughout
  • additional furniture installation

EXTERIOR HARDSCAPING AND LANDSCAPING: There are several significant milestones to be completed on the exterior in the next month or two.

  • the westside parking lot and drive-through will be paved
  • the outside plaza between the secondary west wing and LSS renovations
  • the exterior areas right outside the LSS renovation
  • exterior with sidewalks and curbing
  • the Honorary Member legacy benches will be finished
  • the front entry canopy will be constructed and completed

SECONDARY LEARNING SUPPORT SERVICES (LSS) SPACES: This is the final step of the project in terms of interior work to be done. Over the month of October, we expect to see:

  • exterior siding installed
  • interior boarding and tapping
  • interior painting completed

If everything stays on track, we expect to apply for final permit for the entire project at some point in early December! How exciting!

TSI 2.0:

Last year, ACS launched TSI 2.0 and we experienced much success continuing to engage people into the story of “This Square Inch.” As most people know, our TSI campaign, which completed in 2017, raised $10.5 million to help fund this project. However, the total cost of the project (including the middle school additions and secondary upgrades) is close to $22 million.

As the project moves its way towards final occupancy, we expect to continue engaging our community in the following ways:

  • Corporate Donor Wall: The ACS Board has designated a separate, stand-alone corporate donor wall in our Learning Commons. This corporate donor wall will acknowledge and celebrate the amazing community we are a part of and the corporations/businesses that have made significant contributions to our project.
  • TSI Legacy Benches: These benches are all “sponsored.” Our honorary members were given the opportunity to sponsor a bench with a write-up of their choosing on a plaque on the bench.
  • Hard Hat Tours: Those who chose to support the project financially were offered a hard hat tour of the project. Many people were thrilled to receive this tour.

GRAND OPENING:

Stay tuned for details about plans for a grand opening! We hope to celebrate God’s faithfulness to us as a community with a grand opening of our new building, Lord willing, in the spring of 2022.

If you have any concerns, please be in touch.

Julius Siebenga, Executive Director
Steve Atsma, TSI Project Coordinator

 
 

ACS thanks the many trade partners who have or will contribute to this project: