BELLINGHAM - Robin Frank ticks off the number of students in St. Paul Academy's high school program as she walks through the private Christian school's new 48,000-foot-building on East Victor Street.
There are 10, said Frank, the associate head of the school - six freshmen, three sophomores and one junior who's a foreign exchange student. There are no seniors, the academy having graduated three last June in its first graduating class.
School administrators want to increase those numbers, saying they can focus on growing their high school program with the fall opening of the $13 million Upper School, as the building is known.
"It has been in the works for such a long time. We definitely felt like we had overcome a huge hurdle," Frank said of completing the Upper School, which houses students in fifth through 12th grade.
"The kids were elated," she said. "Now we're ready for the next step."
The new building was constructed with state-of-the art science classrooms in mind, and was designed to evolve with technology. That's important for the academy, which strives to prepare students for college while focusing on integrating math, technology and science into other parts of the curriculum.
"We're a school for the kids who want to excel and who want to do so in a small community environment," said Sarah Brand, development director for St. Paul's Academy, referring to the academy's small classrooms.
On the technology front, for example, the high school students each have a MacBook Air, thanks to a donor, that they use at home and at school. Sixth- and seventh-graders have laptops for use at school.
"The goal is to try to focus on technology as much as possible," Frank said.
At the school integrating curriculum means math shows up in science classes and graphs show up in history lessons - reminding students that math will be part of their lives outside of school.
For high school students, that means researching the effects of pollution on Puget Sound in one class, then making a video about the issue in another class.
St. Paul's started as a preschool in 1973; elementary grades were added in the mid-'90s. In 2007, the school began adding high school grades and work began on building the Upper School. A preschool is on Meridian Street and the Lower School, which houses kindergarten through fourth grade, is across the street from the new building.
Designed years ago, the Upper School was to open in time for the 2009-10 school year. But due to the recession, construction was delayed. It was completed last summer, and replaced four portable buildings.
"There's room for growth," Frank said. "There was not room for growth, truly, in the portables. We were tight in there."
The Upper School has room for 284 students; 100 are enrolled there now.
Overall, the academy has 350 children in preschool through eighth grade.
HIGH SCHOOL INFO SESSIONS
What: Three information sessions about the high school program at St. Paul's Academy, including sports and extracurricular activities, academics and financial aid. Parents and guardians of eighth-grade and high school students are invited to the event, which also will allow them to learn about St. Paul's new 48,000-square-foot Upper School. The building houses fifth- through 12th-grade students.
When: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Jan. 23, Feb. 7 and Feb. 22.
Where: The new Upper School building, 1509 E. Victor St., Bellingham. The building also is known as Markell Hall.
RSVP: Reserve a space by emailing rfrank@sp-academy.org or calling 360-733-1750.
Details: sp-academy.org.
ST. PAUL FUNDRAISER
What: 15th Annual Saluté Auction and Wine Gala, the largest fundraiser of the year for St. Paul's Academy. The event last year raised more than $450,000.
When: 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28
Where: Hotel Bellwether, 1 Bellwether Way, Bellingham.
Why: "We're raising critical funds for the operating budget of the school. We raise this money so we can keep tuition low," said Sarah Brand, development director for St. Paul's Academy. The private Christian school is funded by donations and tuition; it receives no church money. Brand said the event is one of the highest-grossing auctions north of Seattle.
Cost: Tickets are $150 per person. Contact Sarah Brand at 360-733-1750, ext. 405, or auction@sp-academy.org for ticket information.
Details: saluteauction.com.
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