Campus Master Plan

"The result is a plan which reflects an effort to sustain and enhance the quality, vitality, and balance that are hallmarks of Mount de Sales and which set it apart from all other independent schools."

Building Upon Our Legacy

In the spring of 2006, President Katy Prebble and the Board of Trustees published “Building Upon Our Legacy,” a strategic plan for Mount de Sales. This document was the culmination of extensive internal assessments and external analysis. Many individuals, faculty, students, board members, parents, grandparents and alumni participated in the comprehensive strategic plan process. The result is a plan which reflects an effort to sustain and enhance the quality, vitality, and balance that are hallmarks of Mount de Sales and which set it apart from all other independent schools. The plan sets clear goals and directions for the future while providing for response to emerging needs and ideas. As the Board of Trustees has begun to implement the Strategic Plan, one of the goals is to provide facilities that will enhance the overall educational experience while preserving the historic nature of our downtown campus. To achieve this goal the school has completed a facilities audit and a Campus Master Plan that will provide a blueprint for the future

What will Mount de Sales look like in fifteen to tweny years?

 

This is an important question for the school, the community, and the students, past and present. The planning process provided an opportunity for the Academy to reflect upon its history and heritage, to assess the condition of its campus and facilities, and to develop a course of action to address these needs in the future. The Campus Master Plan is a fresh look at the downtown campus and how it can respond to the academic needs for meeting the challenges of the 21st century. The Campus Master Plan is the product of an inclusive process that involved faculty, parents, alumni and trustees. The plan guides the wise use of land, the location of new facilities and their relationship to one another, and the overall structure of open space and buildings that tie the campus together.

Over the past ten years, we have been committed at Mount de Sales to upgrading our programs and facilities in order to provide our students with the very best Catholic, college-prep education. Thanks to good planning and the tremendous generosity of our school family, we have been able to accomplish quite a lot. We have recruited a highly educated and passionate faculty, administration, and staff. Through the continued growth of the professional development program we are able to give our faculty the resources they need to grow in their craft personally and professionally. The David J. Zuver Performing Arts Center and Cavalier Fields, our athletic complex, are among the most outstanding facilities of their kind in Middle Georgia. Most recently, the Board approved the purchase of Trinity House and several properties contiguous to the downtown campus.

Mount de Sales’ primary purpose is to pursue academic excellence, develop self-confident individuals, and foster students’ self-discovery. Mount de Sales’ curriculum is challenging and effective and continues to offer the newest and most advanced technology. Mount de Sales continues to be the leader in National Merit Semifinalists in the region. Twenty-eight students earned designation by the College Board as 2008 Advanced Placement Scholars. Mount de Sales seniors earn early admission to highly competitive colleges and universities across the country. Mount de Sales alumni excel in a wide and varied list of professions and contribute to their communities as civic and philanthropic leaders.

Immediate Needs

As we completed our facilities audit, the construction of a new Middle School surfaced as a critical need, as did the expansion of downtown parking for our students and the construction of a gymnasium at Cavalier Fields. The implementation of the initial phase of the Master Plan is now underway with the construction of the new parking lot. At the center of the first five years is the construction of a new Middle School building.

Parking

Historically, parking has been a problem at the downtown campus. Currently there are over 120 student cars parked on the streets daily. The school has now acquired enough additional property to construct an adequate parking space for our students.

Middle School

In response to reconfiguration of Bibb County middle schools to include sixth grade, Mount de Sales brought back a sixth grade in 2004. The enrollment has increased during these past four years to over 230 students. This increased enrollment has resulted in middle students being located in various buildings throughout the campus. The prevailing educational philosophy is that a single facility best serves the developmental needs of middle students. Facilities presently in use are outdated and do not permit the optimal teaching environment. With increased enrollment and dated facilities it is now necessary to focus our attention on the construction of a Middle School building. This structure would include four classrooms and a science lab for eighth grade; four classrooms and a science lab for seventh grade; three classrooms and a science lab for sixth grade; a multipurpose room; a counseling suite, including personal guidance and academic support; administrative offices; and a computer lab.

Athletic / Gymnasium at Cavalier Fields

Mount de Sales currently fields ten Middle School and Upper School basketball teams. The McAuley gym is grossly inadequate. With no practice gym, our teams are unable to practice on a regular basis or are forced to practice late into the evening. The new gym at Cavalier Fields would include not only an area with ample seating but would also include practice gyms. The downtown gym will continue to serve Middle School practices as well as all physical education classes. Because the field house at Cavalier Fields already includes locker rooms, coaches’ offices, and a strength and conditioning facility, the new gymnasium would be built as an extension of the current field house.

Future Needs

A Campus Master Plan is necessarily a dynamic document, changing and evolving as thinking and circumstances require. The Plan provides for the future needs of a new, two-story Upper School building, a new media center, and renovations to McAuley Hall to include a wellness center. The Plan also provides for “green” open spaces and courtyards defined by landscaping and walkways as well as a one-way vehicular avenue that could be closed during school hours but open for parent drop-off and pick-up.