Gather Campaign—Lower School & Gym
An education that seeks to challenge and inspire both body and soul needs a campus suitable to its calling. The Geneva School will always seek to be a place where scholarship and Christian character thrive: a community that brings glory to God and good to neighbor.
OUR MOVEMENT BEGAN NEARLY THREE DECADES AGO. THE SEEDS TO PLANT A CHRISTIAN CLASSICAL SCHOOL WERE SOWN WHEN A GROUP OF FRIENDS GATHERED TO DISCUSS THE STATE OF EDUCATION IN AMERICA AND HOW THEY MIGHT TRANSFORM IT.
At the time, Christian classical education—an educational model whose roots grow deep in the soil of Western Civilization—was gaining traction in pockets across the country but had yet to arrive in Orlando. As the conversation continued late into the evening, the group’s excitement grew at the prospect of providing a Christ-centered education in the liberal arts tradition in our own backyard. By midnight, a prayerful resolve had galvanized this group to start The Geneva School.
From 34 students and 5 faculty members in 1993, The Geneva School has grown to nearly 550 students and a faculty and staff of over 100 today. But the growth has resulted in the need to educate our students simultaneously on multiple campuses for over a decade. Now it is time to gather together.
Phase I of our movement was completed in November 2016 as a portion of our land was used to build our athletic complex. In August 2019, Phase II was crowned with the completion of our upper school and administrative building, now lovingly named Ingram Hall after retired headmaster Robert Ingram and his wife, Marjean, for their unwavering service and financial commitment to Geneva.
Geneva seeks to provide a culture and an education that are best accomplished with a permanent campus for all—one that brings together all students on one campus, one that is called home by the whole community. We need you to join the movement to “Build a Masterpiece, Leave a Legacy, and Gather Together.”
HOW TO GIVE TO THE GATHER CAMPAIGN
A movement toward greatness always requires the gathering of those who are like-minded. Scripture tells us that when two or three gather in his name, God is among us. By God’s grace, your cooperation, generosity, and commitment to reaching this goal will help Geneva grow to its full potential. Give as liberally as you are able to ensure that The Geneva School’s movement will continue.
Our Movement in G is your opportunity to provide generations of students an experience of God’s greatness and glory through the wonder of a transformative Christian classical education.
Come build this legacy with us.
WHY NOW?
Geneva has been presented with a unique opportunity. A small group of generous donors have committed $10 million to launch the next movement of the school to allow all students to be on one campus. We realize that the timing might seem unusual with all that is currently going on in the country and in the world, but the board has thoughtfully considered these circumstances and made the decision to proceed with the campaign for the lower school and competition gymnasium. If the events of 2020 have taught us anything, it is that community matters. In fact, we see more clearly the wisdom of Scripture when it tells us that we were made and designed to gather together.
The board has decided to move forward, in part, out of concern for our families and the benefits that come from the whole community sharing one campus. The timing is advantageous for the school because of the market and current construction costs. The accelerated timeline allows for growth in the student body; this year, the school welcomed her largest kindergarten class ever: four sections totaling fifty-five students. Further expansion is simply not possible with our current lower school footprint.
WHAT IS THE TARGET DATE FOR BEGINNING?
We expect to begin construction of Phase III in late spring of 2021.
WHAT WILL BE THE STUDENT CAPACITY OF THIS NEW FACILITY?
Phase III will increase the capacity to 452 lower school students. This phase will allow four sections of each grade at our current classroom ratios.
WHAT WILL THE NEW BUIDLINGS LOOK LIKE?
Take a look at these renderings to get an idea of what everything will look like.
HOW MUCH WILL IT COST AND HOW WILL IT BE FUNDED?
It has a projected price tag of $19 million. We have $10 million committed and a $4 million estimate for the sale of our current lower school campus. We need to raise the additional $5 million to move forward with the project.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH OUR EXISTING LOWER SCHOOL CAMPUS?
We plan to sell the lower school campus and use the net proceeds toward the capital needed for this project.
WHO ARE OUR PARTNERS IN THIS MOVEMENT IN G VENTURE?
We have been very satisfied with the design and workmanship of Ingram Hall, and we have decided to stay with the same partners: SchenkelShultz (Architecture) and Clancy & Theys (General Contractor).
WHEN DO WE START?
We will begin facility construction once we have successfully raised $5 million in pledges and/or outright gifts.
WILL GENEVA’S TUITION STRUCTURE CHANGE?
The board is not anticipating any material increases to the cost of tuition after building the lower school and competition gymnasium. The majority of the cost will be funded through generous donations, decreasing the impact on the annual operating budget. Growth in the student body will create greater long-term influence in the community and provide an increasingly sustainable financial model.
ARE THERE NAMING OPPORTUNITIES?
If a donor is gracious enough to lend us his or her family’s name for a particular venue on the campus, we would be deeply grateful and honored. For more information about naming opportunities, please contact Katie Deatherage at [email protected]
