AMARILLO, TEXAS -- Changes are underway at Ascension Academy. Construction has been going on since September, and now part of it is complete.
Ascension Academy's current building can't keep up with the school's rapid growth, it houses more than 175 students.
"We were starting to notice the rapid enrollment growth that we were having that is it has enlarged us 160% in three years," said William Summerhill, Head of School
Thankfully, the school has the acreage to grow. For two years, plans of expanding have been in the works. In September, they broke ground on a four phase expansion project. A $3.5 million project with money raised through fundraising.
"We're slowly opening things as they are being completed the track opened in October and now the middle school wing will be opening here, in fact, we've taken possession of it today(Friday)".
In fact, faculty members will spend Monday's holiday moving into the completed middle school wing. Equipped with two state-of-the art Science labs, a technology lab, and a common's area. The next phase is to complete the high school wing, already under construction.
"We're going to look at doubling the size of our studio art program and refurbish, actually rebuilding a high biology lab and then the last phase will be the high school wing with new performing arts base for our choir and orchestra".
For the school, faculty and students, who've been moved into other classrooms and shifted around the construction, completion is exciting.
"It's all new territory for us and I guess it's very much like opening a Christmas present you're very anxious to see exactly how it's going to look and how it's going to feel".
Completion is expected in mid April, Summerhill says construction is right on schedule.
