Saint Viator kicks off school year with newly renovated classrooms, building upgrades

New teachers at Saint Viator High School were among the first to see all of the improvements made to the building over the summer as part of their onboarding this week. And they were amazed.

Nearly the entire school has undergone a complete transformation from top to bottom. For starters, 30 classrooms, eight science labs, the math and language labs, and five department offices all received new flooring, ceilings, lighting and acoustical improvements.

"The classroom upgrades create a serenity and calmness, which will undoubtedly strengthen the learning experience, not only for the students but the teachers as well," said Principal Jon Baffico. "We are forever grateful for the donor support to make this and future projects a reality."

Still to come are new white boards, classroom furniture and touch screen TVs that sync up wirelessly to students' iPads through Apple Airplay.

The classroom furniture is designed to inspire students - and teachers - with its new, state-of-the-art educational environment, with collegial tables and chairs instead of desks.

"Gone are the days of desks in rows with rigid chairs," said officials with Educational Environments: A Cooney Company. "The classroom should be a space that encourages student collaboration while increasing productivity."

Perhaps the biggest improvement is that the entire building is air-conditioned, including all the classrooms, the Jeuck Auditorium, Cahill Gym, hallways and stairwells.

At the same time, the Cahill Gym received a new roof, and work continues to renovate the front lobby of the building with new lighting and wooden beams across the ceiling.

One of the classroom features that President Fr. Daniel Lydon, C.S.V. '73, likes is the movable podium for the teacher, which he demonstrated on the tour.

"It used to be that the teacher area was up here," he said gesturing to the front of the classroom, "and the student area was over there. Now, I can go to the center of the room, so it's an immersion experience."

The dramatic renovation is part of Phase 1 of the Igniting Our Community capital campaign. Upgrading the student experience was identified as the first priority of the campaign. Consequently, all of the improvements have been funded by private donations.

Increasing the endowment fund is the next priority of the campaign, including providing additional tuition assistance through scholarships and offering more professional development and support for faculty members.

Bottom line, Saint Viator remains committed to creating a program of excellence and enthusiasm for its school community.

"At Saint Viator, we want every student to succeed and find the joy of learning," Fr. Lydon said. "We think our classroom renovations - and the air conditioning - will greatly enhance the student experience at Saint Viator."

The 2023-24 school year begins Tuesday, Aug. 15.