Saint James School announces campus construction project

MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) - Saint James School announced a major project Thursday, to renovate its existing Elementary Cafetorium into a full-service school-wide dining facility that will be known as The Commons.

The school launched a capital campaign in the summer of 2017 to raise money for the project.

To date, more than $1.3 million has been gifted or pledged, which is approximately 65 percent of the campaign goal. Campaign Chairs Samarria and Kendall Dunson and Jennifer and Glenn Crumpton, Campaign Co-Chairs, presented a check to the Saint James School Board of Trustees.

"We believe that the health of our children is vital to their overall success in life," said Samarria and Kendall Dunson. "This campaign is a way for us to facilitate the development of the whole child – physically, academically, and emotionally."

Additional features planned for the facility include an enhanced performance space for elementary students, new elementary art and music classrooms, a private dining room that also serves as a flexible meeting space, a-la-carte and grab-and-go.

There will also be healthy food option for students and faculty, new location and more convenient access to the Wooden Horse the school's gift shop, outdoor gathering spaces for collaborative learning opportunities, and a community organic garden for students to create and maintain and for the dining service provider to use in preparing meals for the school community.

"This new facility will enhance our beautiful campus," said Dr. Larry McLemore, Saint James Head of School. "The Commons not only features indoor gathering space for our campus, but it will also provide collaborative opportunities for our school community and our local community. With the interior space and outdoor green space, we will be able to offer the ideal setting to share ideas and work together."

School leadership plans to break ground for the Commons in the Spring of 2018 and to complete construction by August 2019.

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