St. Mary’s School, the only independent Preschool through Grade 8 International Baccalaureate (IB) World School in Orange County, today announced they will hold a groundbreaking ceremony at St. Mary’s Field on Thursday, May 24 from 2:30 – 3:00 pm to celebrate the beginning of extensive renovations and state-of-the-art campus improvements.
As part of the school’s Master Plan, the redevelopment project is being funded in large part by two transformative gifts – one from the Bhathal and Merage families and the other from the Green family. These families have students attending St. Mary’s as well as alumni from the school. The Bhathal and Merage family students are Vaughn Vogel ’18, Charlie Vogel ’21, and Leo Merage ’22; and the Green family students and alumni are Maddie ’13, Cooper ’17, and Brady ’20.
“The Faculty and Administration of St. Mary’s prepare our children to be the global leaders of tomorrow and to think creatively and solve problems for careers that do not exist today,” said Lisa and Richard Merage on behalf of the Bhathal and Merage families, including their parents Raj and Marta Bhathal and Paul and Lilly Merage. “We are excited that our gift will enable St. Mary’s to have advanced facilities to match its innovative, forward-thinking program.”
“We are honored and excited to participate in St. Mary’s groundbreaking ‘Imagine More Campaign,’” said Karen and Scott Green. “St. Mary’s has long been at the forefront of academics with their IB programs and the new innovative facilities will further help to enhance each student’s holistic educational experience.”
In honor and celebration of the gift from the Bhathal and Merage families, St. Mary’s will name the Bhathal Merage Academic Center, which will include 21st century classrooms for lower and middle school, three science labs and a new arts wing to stimulate creativity in as many ways as possible to inspire children to become passionate learners.
The first lead gift of the campaign was made by Karen and Scott Green. This gift will be honored by St. Mary’s with the Green Family Commons, which will include a food service and teaching kitchen along with inside and outdoor dining spaces. “We feel the Commons is a wonderful differentiator for St. Mary’s, as we focus not only on academics but on the whole child,” said the Greens. “So much of life is centered around meals and dining together. Not only will the Commons help facilitate a unique sense of community, this facility also will enable us to teach kids the importance of healthy eating and an overall sense of wellness.”
At the groundbreaking event, members of the Bhathal, Merage and Green families will take the first ceremonial swing at drywall from the buildings which are being gutted and renovated. Sharon Taylor, Head of School at St. Mary’s; Matt Stewart, Chairman of the St. Mary’s Board of Trustees; and Maddie Green, St. Mary’s alumni and the eldest daughter of the Green family, will speak at the celebration.
The St. Mary’s Board of Trustees authorized the completion of the Master Plan in early 2017. Scott and Karen Green co-chair the campaign. The entire Imagine More Campaign Committee includes Lisa Merage, Serena Benson, Heather Marsh and Matt Stewart. This first phase of the campaign includes a complete redesign of the Lower and Middle School academic buildings, a new dining Commons and a new safe and secure front entrance. The second phase of the campaign will focus on enhanced STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics) and Education buildings. According to Taylor, fundraising for the second phase is currently underway.
“In creating the Master Plan, it was determined that every square foot of the campus, inside and out, should be considered a setting for learning,” said Taylor. “Powerful ideas emerged from teachers, parents, students, alumni parents, and others—about how our learning environment could transform our students’ educational experiences.”
To bring the vision to life, St. Mary’s engaged architectural firm RGA, cutting-edge leaders in innovative design. The project is being completed by KPRS Construction a full-service general contractor that seeks to expand and improve communities through the buildings they construct and the clients they serve.
About St. Mary’s School
St. Mary’s is an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School dedicated to inquiry-based academic excellence, developing well-rounded, confident children who flourish in a creative environment founded on Christian values. Established in 1994 by The Reverend Canon Ernest D. Sillers and a handful of dedicated faculty and staff, St. Mary’s was built on the precept that we can all make a positive difference in the educational life of every child. Based on this educational commitment, the school grew to become the first and only IB private primary and middle school in Orange County– with the purpose of educating our children while shaping their hearts and minds to be our next generation of global leaders.
For more information, visit smaa.org.
Photo Credits: St. Mary’s School
Media Contact: Lisa James
