WCDS Prioritizes Next Phase of Westchester Forward Projects
Westchester Country Day School is moving forward with the next phase of projects and enhancements included in the $25 million Westchester Forward capital campaign.
The school is raising funds for a variety of projects that will further enrich the student experience and support new construction, facilities improvements and the financial strength of the school.
The Board of Trustees has identified the following priorities, which provide immediate benefits and impact for current needs. These projects will improve safety for students and faculty, eliminate debt, add classroom space and pave the way for growth in academic programming.
Campus Security
Installation of access control to all exterior doors begins in February. Door readers, internal cameras and a tightly integrated web interface will provide a seamless view of foot traffic entering and exiting buildings. Later phases will provide additional tools and cameras to increase control over access to the campus.
Debt Elimination
So far, Westchester’s debt has been reduced by over $900,000! Becoming debt-free will allow additional cash flow on a monthly basis to better serve the school’s current needs and expenses.
Capital Projects
The Wilson Student Center, which opened in August 2020, was the first campaign project to be completed and was the first new construction on campus in 20 years. After its grand opening, the school announced that the next building priority would be the Congdon Center for the Performing Arts. The initial cost projection for this project was $8 million. At the most recent bid, that cost had climbed to more than $14 million. With this significant increase, the Board of Trustees has decided to continue with smaller, less expensive projects that can have an immediate impact first.
The next construction priority is an addition to the Finch Center that will add five classrooms and a gymnasium. The classroom space will make it possible to centralize Upper School classes within one area of campus and free up space in Phillips Hall slated for a future technology wing. The existing Brooks Gym is currently serving as many as seven teams in a given season. This is causing students to stay late for practices, in addition to allowing less space for P.E. and other campus activities.
The performing arts center will likely be the next capital project after this addition, depending on construction costs, funding and donor interests/gift designation.
Strategic Initiatives
The board has identified STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and Learning Support as two strategic initiatives to enhance academic programming, and staff will be looking at how to execute those in the near future as part of the campaign goals. In 2021, Westchester received a $50,000 matching grant from the E.E. Ford Foundation (matching $50,000 donated by WCDS family and friends) to support the creation of an enhanced technology curriculum and learning space. Forward movement on the Finch Center addition will free up the space needed to develop the technology labs included in the plan.
This is a unique opportunity for our school. Our capital projects and strategic initiatives directly align, and as soon as each initiative receives funding, we will continue working until all of our master plan is fully complete. -- Cobb Atkinson, Head of School
If you have any questions or would like to see specific renderings, plans, or learn more about our fundraising endeavors, contact Director of Development Kate Moser at [email protected] or 336.822.4021.
