Across the Generations: The Heritage School achieves $3.8 million capital campaign
From Staff Reports
news@newnan.com
The Heritage School, Newnan’s only independent, nonsectarian college preparatory school, announces that it has met its $3.8 million Across the Generations capital campaign goal.
“We are most appreciative of the support of our parents, grandparents, board, faculty, staff, and the entire Heritage community for the support we received toward this campaign,” said Head of School Judith Griffith. “Their collective support, plus the support of two area foundations, makes this the single largest multi-facility construction project in the 43-year history of the school,” adds Griffith.
The largest component of the campaign will fund The Heritage Center, a competition-sized, multi-purpose arena with a seating capacity of 850-900, which is currently under construction. A connector roadway will be constructed in the summer of 2013, which will eventually serve as a second entrance to the campus.
“Our school has seen steady growth over the last decade,” said Otis Jones III, Campaign Chair, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees for The Heritage School. “A facility of this size will enable us to host not only athletic events but will serve as a multi-use, large gathering facility for other important school and community functions.”
Kirby Arnall - Class of ’83, Brad Everett, Toby Jeffreys - Chair of the Parent Campaign Committee, J.J. Moody, Jim Naughton, and Jim Thomasson - Class of ’80, served as campaign leadership.
“We were privileged to enjoy 100 percent support from our Board and the faculty and staff. Nearly 85 percent of our parent body supported the campaign, which is a phenomenal rate of parental participation,” said Jennifer Thomasson, director of development for The Heritage School.
“No capital campaign can be successful if the people closest to you fail to support it,” said Jones. “Our people were immediately on board, and over 80 percent of the funds pledged have already been received.”
This outpouring of support has enabled the school leadership to complete the projects without obtaining construction loans. The Heritage School remains debt free as it approaches completion of the final projects. School leaders anticipate the grand opening of The Heritage Center to take place in late January 2013.
“This could not have happened without the visionary leadership of Otis Jones,” said Griffith. “His unrelenting commitment to this campaign was the key factor to our success, and for that, we will be forever grateful.”
To capitalize on the very powerful logistical presence of a major constrution project on campus, Heritage School teachers at the PreK, kindergarten, and first grade levels have embedded lessons in their curriculcum that follow the project from start to finish. On a recent day students received a construction update from Ron Busse, project superintendent from Tiernan & Patrylo, Inc., and Chuck Brown, Building and Grounds superintendent for The Heritage School.
