By Kelly Urban, Tribune Democrat, August 29, 2016
HOLLSOPPLE – Students at Johnstown Christian School started the new school year off in an updated and renovated facility.
On Monday, school administration, staff and board members held a building dedication ceremony to showcase improvements done to classrooms that will not only provide students with more technology but also increase education possibles, they said.
“I am amazed at the work that has taken place in the last few years,” said Kathy Keafer, school administrator. “We’ve been on this for three years to get to this place, slowly watching the Lord provide for our needs.”
Tours of the school were offered to parents and guests who wanted to see first-hand the completed work.
“Basically, we have a brand new building as we walk forward into the future,” Keafer said.
Thanks to community and business donors and grant money, the $2 million project included a new science laboratory that was modeled after a college setting, expanded music and art classrooms, a state-of-art computer lab with 30 new computers and a newly created multi-media room.
Infrastructure improvements included a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, upgrades to insulation, wiring and plumbing, new server system for Internet access and the addition of an elevator.
“All these things help make the building more efficient and economical,” said John Huston, school board president.
Moving forward, the school will look into renovating its gymnasium.
“We put that on as last because academics is a high priority to us,” Huston said. “If possible, we’d like to expand so we can add a ‘gymnatorium’ where we could have a stage and do presentations. We’d like to add air conditioning and a new roof.
“There’s a lot of needs right there.”
He said academics have always been excellent in the school and the new capabilities will only further that.
“With the new facilities, it increases morale, it increases a love of the school and the teachers have more flexibility in what they can do,” Huston said.
The school has 245 students enrolled in preschool through 12th grade.
