School of the Holy Child recently announced a $6 million capital campaign to fund the construction of a new field house and the renovation of the School’s 1959 gymnasium into a state-of-the-art theatre.
“We are excited at the prospect of providing new facilities which will better reflect the outstanding accomplishments of our young women while, at the same time, help them to achieve success well into the future,” said Head of School Ann F. Sullivan at a private reception for parents, alumnae and friends of the School earlier this month.
Trustees and Campaign Committee Co-Chairs Joe Houlihan and Domenick Ciaccia reported that 75 percent of the campaign goal has already been committed by 71 families. “Many of these families told us their pledge to Holy Child’s capital campaign represented the largest gift that they had ever made to any one charity,” said Houlihan. “These are all thank you gifts to the School in return for what Holy Child has done for their daughters.”
The capital campaign will fund the first phase of construction projects in the School’s Master Campus Plan, which was last updated in 2009 under the direction of Peter Duncan, trustee and Buildings & Grounds chair, in partnership with the architectural firm Peter Gisolfi Associates of Hastings. The field house will include a 9,700 square foot gymnasium with two full-size courts; locker rooms for students, coaches and visiting teams; office space for Athletics/PE staff; an athletic trainer room; and a student commons. The completion of the new field house will quickly make possible the renovation of the current gymnasium into a space for music, dance and drama productions, liturgies and assemblies. Plans for the theatre include seating for 400; an enhanced and larger stage; state-of-the-art lighting and sound equipment; a workshop for set-building and costume design; and dressing rooms and wardrobe storage.
The Master Campus Plan also takes into account planning for future additions to the field house, among them a weight and fitness room; a dance and aerobics studio; and regulation-sized squash courts. “We will build the field house in a very smart way so that it becomes a living, breathing building that grows over time,” said Board Chair Al Kelly. “Getting this project underway will be transformational for School of the Holy Child. It will generate excitement for families who are looking at the School for their daughters, and especially for the young women who are already enrolled here.” Noting that the project must be funded 100 percent through philanthropy and the need for additional fundraising, Kelly added, “We plan to file plans with the Town of Harrison this spring. I would hope that we could break ground sometime during the next academic year. ”
Past generosity to Holy Child has made possible the facilities and programs that the young women enrolled here enjoy today. The financial support of parents, alumnae and friends made possible the redesign of the academic center of the School—to include the addition of five new classrooms, new chapel, art room, music and library space—as well as the addition of Gryphon Field, a beautiful turf field that runs parallel to Westchester Avenue, thus dramatically enhancing the campus. In just over a decade, more than 22,000 square feet of space has been added, and 85 percent of the School’s facilities have been renovated.
About School of the Holy Child
School of the Holy Child in Rye, NY, established in 1904, is an all-girls, Catholic, independent, college-preparatory school for grades 5-12. The School is guided by the educational philosophy of Cornelia Connelly, the founder of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus, and her dedication to developing “young women of conscience and action.” At Holy Child, accomplished and dedicated faculty members foster the spiritual development, individual talents and interests of each student. This is realized through rigorous and comprehensive academic, arts, athletics, service and global programs. The School currently enrolls students from communities in Westchester, Fairfield, Putnam, New York and Bronx counties. For more information, contact (914) 967-5622 or visit www.holychildrye.org.
