SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT: BC’s academic building to undergo major renovation starting May 17

The excitement at Benedictine Military School will not end after the BC Class of 2021 tosses its graduation caps into the air May 16. The next day, BC’s academic building will undergo a summer-long renovation to 13 classrooms, plus a few other spaces inside the building, thanks to the support of the Forward, Always Forward Capital Campaign.

“The fact that our Forward, Always Forward Capital Campaign has progressed as well as it has for these past several years is a true statement of the support that we have gotten from our alumni, parents, and friends to which we are extremely grateful,” Benedictine Military School Headmaster Fr. Frank Ziemkiewicz, O.S.B., said. “Their support has allowed us to dramatically expand our academic and athletic offerings to our students, and this is evidenced by our considerable acceptance rates to the upper echelons of the Georgia school system. And, for that matter, too, nationwide schools and our military academies. We are extremely proud of this and extremely grateful to our supporters for this.”

BC’s academic building will be closed May 17-31 during the renovation but the school will remain open and functional. There are areas of the building which will be closed for the entire summer. The administrative, business, advancement, and guidance offices will remain operational during this time. The athletic complex and other buildings on campus will not be affected.

“These renovations will complete the academic renovations at BC and every academic classroom inside the academic building will be like new,” BC Director of Advancement Greg Markiton ’92 said. “The top priority in the Forward, Always Forward Capital Campaign has been improving the academic programs at Benedictine. When we first began studying this campaign and eliciting the feedback and comments from the members of the Benedictine family, including current parents, alumni, future parents, faculty, and staff, it became very clear that our top priority was academics. It’s very exciting to see that finally come to fruition through this campaign, and the incredible support that we have received from so many members of the BC family, who have stepped up to transform the school.”

BC Director of Operations and Finance Barbara Evans said the renovation will include 13 academic spaces (classrooms), as well as JROTC offices and supply rooms.

“All of C-Wing and half of A-Wing, the remainder that has not already been renovated, will be renovated,” Evans said. “The Academic Well restrooms will be renovated. They are the originals from 1963. The other component of this is we’re updating all of the lighting in every hallway, as well as the ceiling tiles and lights in Alumni Hall.”

Each classroom will get new energy efficient LED lighting, new furniture, Marmoleum floors, fresh paint, and the latest touchscreen televisions. The robotics room will get a polished concrete floor. The physics lab will get new countertops/workspace. The art room will be completely overhauled.

“In C-Wing, rooms C-6 and C-7 are going to become one big classroom,” Evans said. “JROTC offices and supply rooms will get new ceiling tiles, new lights, new paint, and new furniture. All of social sciences and JROTC will have renovated classrooms. Physics in A-Wing. Robotics in A-Wing. And the theology classroom, and the art room will all be renovated.”

All hallways will get updated ceilings and energy efficient lighting.

“The Academic Well restrooms, which are well over 25 or 30 years old, will be redesigned for functionality as well as ADA accessibility,” Evans said. “It’s a complete redesign with brand new lavatories, faucets, urinals, paint, flooring, partitions, and lighting.”

This next phase, which involves the upgrade of A-Wing and C-Wing classrooms, will be the final classroom upgrade for academic building.

“Although we still have work to do within the building, nevertheless, these classrooms are going to be the capstone of that and should offer our students the best of what the current academic environment has to offer,” Ziemkiewicz said. “We feel that this will only further enhance our student capabilities to plan their future and to be prepared for the next phase in their student life.”