Mount St. Charles Finishing Renovation Project

Over the course of past few years, has been embarking upon a vast renovation initiative. The main focus of this project has been to update and revitalize Mount’s classrooms and laboratories which hadn’t really been changed since the school’s opening in 1924.

Each summer, a selection of classrooms has been gutted and totally reconstructed. This summer, thanks to a plethora of designated donations, fundraising events, and a last minute gift of $200,000, the remaining 9 class rooms on Mount’s third floor are being renovated. The total cost for each room to be renovated is between $50,000 and $60,000.  When construction is finished, this portion of the renovation project will be complete with a total cost of $750,000 and resulting in 12 brand new classrooms.

Part of the reason for the renovations is to make the building more energy efficient.  To do so, the building’s heating system has been converted from oil burning heat to a gas heat system which is expected to decrease the school’s heating bill by about 50%. Each classroom is being equipped with new, energy efficient windows and lights as well as news walls, floors, and ceilings.

Mount has also upgraded to a new innovative way for teachers to interact with their students by introducing interactive smart board technology in the new rooms. Each board looks similar to a dry-erase board; however, the board is accompanied by an LCD projector that coordinates with each teacher’s classroom computer. This smart board can be controlled by the teacher through touch or with a remote control. Students will have access to a program called Quizdom that will allow them to also use remote controls in response to their teachers. Some rooms already utilize this smart board technology, and the school will continue installing it as the modernization project continues.

Herve Richer, President of Mount Saint Charles Academy,  said, “The long-term goal of our renovation project is to improve our classrooms in order to make them brighter, cleaner, and more energy efficient, thus providing a more comfortable working climate for teachers and students."

For more photos of the work in progress check out Mount's facebook gallery.