Campaign OverviewFrequently Asked Questions
Q. Why is the renovation and expansion project necessary?
With the exception of the Junior High, Kindergarten and Cafeteria renovation/expansion, the school facilities have not been updated since they were originally constructed 50 years ago. Without these improvements it will be very difficult to maintain STMs’ exceptional level of performance.
Q. Will this project answer everyone’s concerns? Will this be a phase or does this satisfy the school needs for an indefinite period of time? How many phases will this be?
After five years of focused strategic planning involving the pastors of STM, administrators, teachers, STM School Board members, STM Pastoral council, parents and other parish and school stakeholders, STM identified facility renovation and modernization as a key objective to STM’s continued excellence. The board has taken the time to analyze campus needs for now and into the future. This plan addresses all of the items brought to light in the strategic planning meetings:
- Renovations to the 5th and 6th grade classroom
- New Library-Media/Administrative Building with enhanced technologies
- Increased Campus Security
- Front door presence for parents and visitors
- Renovations to the gym restrooms and lobby area
While the construction will be phased to minimize the impact on the school operations, it will all be done under one construction contract in approximately 10 months.
Q. When will construction begin and end?
STM School must deposit have at least half of the cash for the building program before the constructions may begin. The anticipated cost of the program is $3.9 million, therefore we must have $1.8 million deposited before beginning construction. Currently we’ve raised 45% in pledges and need another $600,000. If we receive these donations by November, we will be able to begin construction in early Spring.
Q. Who made the decision to go forward with this project?
Father Tom Duhe, in collaboration with the school administration and STM School Board made the decision to go forward with this project based upon the stakeholder recommendations of five years of strategic planning.
Q. How will the STM curriculum be impacted by this project? What curriculum enhancements will we achieve by this project?
The master plan is designed to provide facilities that complement the outstanding curriculum of STM. The features include:
- New library-media center with expanded technologies and computer lab
- Improved 5th and 6th grade classroom building
- Create central, secure commons area similar to Junior High Building
- Entrance to classrooms from commons area
- New Music/Band Room
- Junior High Science Lab
- Renovations for student services
- New guidance offices
- New nurse’s office
- New resource and individual needs center
Q. Will this project impact school tuition? Will this construction affect tuition costs? Will tuition increase if not enough money is raised for the campaign? What happens if the campaign does not raise the full amount?
A loan from the Diocese would be needed should the total of the school cash reserves) and the capital campaign not be enough to cover the construction cost. We have done projections on different loan amounts (minimum and maximum) based on estimated capital campaign amounts and the school cash reserve for this project. If a loan is needed there would be a per student, per year assessment for 10 – 15 years – depending on the loan term chosen – to repay the loan.
Q. Will the demographics of the STM neighborhood support enrollment in the future? How will this addition impact enrollment at STM?
The master plan does not include an addition. It is an upgrading of campus facilities which supports current and future enrollment of students. It is not designed for increased student enrollment.
Q. Will my child's education suffer with the construction and workers on campus?
To minimize the impact on school operations, construction will be completed under one contract of approximately 12 – 18 months. Most of the construction will take place during the holidays, summer, and night to further minimize interference with classroom activities.
Q. How will the project be funded?
The funding for the anticipated construction total cost includes the following three methods:
- School cash reserves ($1.2 million, already on hand)
- Capital campaign (estimate only now, amount to be determined in the campaign)
- Loan from the Diocese (amount dependent on number 1 and 2 versus the construction project total)
Q. Will the Annual Giving / Development money received each year be part of this project?
The Annual Giving money will continue to fund specific needs identified by the administration and development committee. In the past these monies have provided enhanced instructional materials, technology and safety throughout campus.
Q. What are the types of gifts that will be accepted and over what period of time?
Any donation amount will be accepted and may be spread over a 3 year period of time.
Q. Why should I give?
For the past 50 years, St. Thomas More Catholic School has been a beacon of Catholic education in Baton Rouge. Our alumni are today’s religious, education, medical, legal, business, industry, family and community leaders throughout our region and beyond. Our students are well prepared for high school and college and many earn top scholastic honors. Each day, thousands of men and women draw from the spiritual, personal and academic foundation established through their experience at STM.
While STM students continue to perform at the very highest academic levels, the STM campus has not kept pace. Many STM buildings are showing the wear of age, and functionally the school is not conducive to an evolving, modern curriculum. The Campaign for Excellence will provide the facilities to complement the school’s exemplary curriculum.
Q. What is the current financial health of STM School?
Excellent. The school has done a great job of building cash reserves over the last 50 years and received some funds as a result of the students at STM post Katrina. In addition, we have taken any excess funds received over the last three years and dedicated them to the long term capital needs of the campus. At present, we have $1.2 million in cash reserves as one of the three sources to fund the project. The school will still have appropriate cash reserves for operating needs once the cash reserves for this project are used for construction.
Q. Is my contribution confidential?
All donors will be given a pledge card to completion which you may request that your contribution amount remain anonymous. Unless otherwise specified, donors will be identified but the amount of individual donations will not.
Q. With the amount of money the school is putting toward the campaign, why did the school not do some of the renovations already?
There was an overall strategic plan the school has been working on over the last several years. The building blocks have been put into place over that time to make sure the school was in a position to fund this level of project – ex: building cash reserves, development committee, demographic analysis, stakeholder input, etc. Some of the renovations included in this plan were ones the school needed an have been wrapped into this plan since we did not want to do renovations before that would have had to be done again or replaced with this major renovation.
Q. What happens if the campaign does not raise the full amount?
The projection had a minimum and maximum estimate on the capital campaign. The third source of the funding methodology was a loan from the Diocese for the difference between the construction total and the total of the cash reserves and capital campaign funds raised. The better the campaign does, the lower the Diocesan loan amount needed since we already know what our cash reserve amount for this project is at this time.
Q. Has the Diocese approved this project?
The Diocese granted approval for STM to begin a capital campaign program for the project. Construction plans and financial information will be presented to the Diocese for final approval once STM attains the required 50% cost of the construction.
Q. How will the STM community be kept informed of the campaign’s progress?
The STM community is continuously updated through the www.stmexcellence.org webpage, the www.stmbr.org school webpage, Eagles Wings (the STM newsletter) and STM and St. Patrick Church bulletins.
