Construction
begun at Mother Seton School
Iona N.
Conner
Mother Seton School, a
co-educational private school, started a $1.7 million
expansion project this month to keep up with its growing
enrollment.
By next summer, the
430-student school will have a new science lab, a
multi-purpose room for art, music, band and chorus, two
pre-kindergarten classrooms, centralized administrative
offices, a health room and new play areas for the younger
children. Since 1810, Mother Seton, the first parochial
Catholic school in the country, has been carrying the legacy
of its founder, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton.
"Historically, we
started the whole parochial school system in 1810 at the
'white house' with three students," said Val Mentzer,
development director.
The current school was built
in 1964 to accommodate 16 classrooms for grades one to eight.
"We're very, very
excited about the possibilities for our students," said
Sister Mary Catherine Conway, principal of seven years. Conway
explained that the "politics of permits" held up the
construction for a year after their initial ceremony last
September.
Conway taught first grade 11
years before becoming principal, and some of her former
students are now parents there.
The school emphasizes
students' spiritual life while helping them to
"internalize values which will help them to make good
moral choices," according to their philosophy and mission
statement.
New staff, new services, new
programs and increasing enrollment have crowded out existing
space, spreading even into the Sisters' Residence, Mentzer
explained.
The school took action.
On Oct. 1, a groundbreaking
ceremony was held and to date, $1.3 million in pledges have
been gathered for the project.
Bruchey Builders Inc. of
Frederick is doing the construction, with completion expected
this summer.
"I think it's delightful
that they are expanding to meet the needs of Frederick
County," said Jim Merkel, founder and former president of
Friends of Catholic Education. The group raises money to be
used by elementary and secondary schools for tuition
assistance, capital improvements and special projects, Merkel
said.