NEWS

Shalom Christian Academy breaks ground on phase 2 of $12 million expansion project

Waynesboro Record Herald

Shalom Christian Academy held a groundbreaking ceremony for phase 2 of its Cultivating Wholeness Capital Campaign on Tuesday afternoon.

Located at 126 Social Island Road in Chambersburg, the school is charting the way forward by creating new spaces, as well as renovating existing ones, to better serve its students and families and growing class sizes.

Pictured here during the groundbreaking ceremony at Shalom Christian Academy is Angie Petersheim, SCA administrator, left, Mike Shaker SCA director of development, Jamie Keller, SCA elementary principal, Suzanne Poe, SCA business and events coordinator, Jeryl Hoover, SCA business manager, Ken Kipe SCA board chair, Brian Knepper, SCA campaign steering committee chair, Mark Helman, Brechbill & Helman Construction Co. Inc., project Manager, Matt Dice Brrechbill & Helman project superintendent and Lew Martin, Brechbill & Helman project manager and estimator.

"We had started having three classrooms per grade and we were moving through the elementary and as we did the calculations on what space we had and didn't have we decided we needed to do this," said Shalom Administrator Angie Petersheim.

The campaign, totaling $12 million, began March 4, 2019, and has since completed phase 1 of the five-steps.

Phase 1 included the total renovation of the elementary and middle school. In early June, additional renovations continued in the middle school. Teachers began moving back into their classrooms by mid-August, preparing for a Sept. 3 first day of school.

After the groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, phase 1A is underway and is designed to maximize resources while continuing to move forward with renovations by finishing flooring, ceilings and new windows. Phase 1a will also add elementary classrooms within the existing space and will see the addition of an upgraded building entrance.

Mike Shaker addresses faculty and students and explains the process of building during the groundbreaking ceremony.

Phase 2 will undertake the physical expansion of the elementary area. Plans include additional classrooms and a large gathering area. The addition is projected to be completed by Brechbill & Helman Construction Co. Inc. in time for the first day of the 2021-2022 school year.

Set for completion within the next two to three years will be the remaining phases, which include the renovation of high school classrooms and the main office areas. This also includes a new main entrance as well as the the expansion of the gym, a large stage, and designated fine arts classrooms. It also includes a community room, which will be used for middle and high school lunch as well as an area to host events. An elevator will also be part of this phase.

Angie Petersheim delivers the welcoming statements to the elementary students and teachers during Tuesday's groundbreaking ceremony.

"We have just been really blessed by people who support us and who want to be a part of what we are doing here," Petersheim said. "It's been a blessing for us."

Director of development for SCA, Mike Shaker, said that a ceremonial steel beam signing for students will be held on May 4. The beam will become part of the addition. "We want the kids to know that they are part of the foundation of this building."

For more information about the building campaign visit Shalom online.