Holy Family School in Freeburg gearing up for needed expansion, renovations

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“Building a Legacy of Learning” is more than just a title — it’s the mission of the Holy Family School Capital Campaign Expansion project.

Plans began over a year ago to expand the current Catholic school building in Freeburg, to improve the functionality of the school and facilitate both academic and spiritual learning, now and far into the future.

The most recent addition or remodel to the school’s main structure was completed in 1975.

Accommodations were gradually made within the existing facility as the student body grew.

In recent years, the parish has converted the open stage for use as a classroom (where distraction is a given).

The school has expanded to two lunch shifts, while using the cafeteria before and after lunch as a classroom.

Even portions of the basement, which was originally meant for storage and mechanical equipment, have been converted into classrooms and library space.

Prompted by the obvious need for a larger, safer and less distractive school environment, it was determined an expansion should be pursued.

The parish asked skilled parishioner volunteers to form a building committee and a capital campaign committee to begin the expansion process.

The project, estimated to cost $6 million, would build additional classrooms and a safe student drop-off area (off the public street), construct a modern kitchen and cafeteria, make necessary repairs to the existing building, upgrade the electrical systems, remodel the existing kitchen and cafeteria into classrooms, convert the basement back into much-needed storage while maintaining an area for parish meeting rooms, build a fully functioning regulation-size gym, and finish the necessary site construction.

Capital Campaign chair, Nyla Bassett, along with other committee members established a goal of $1.2 million in cash donations to start the initial phase of the building project, beginning with hiring consultants and contractors to complete the building plans.

This goal was reached in the summer of 2024.

In addition to cash donations, the project received pledges and in-kind donations that have the project moving forward at a steady pace.

Pledges and donations have come not only from parishioners but also, in large part, from alumni, businesses, friends and foundations.

Currently, the “Building a Legacy of Learning” campaign has raised $1.7 million total in cash and pledges.

Unfortunately, as in many instances, things don’t always go as planned. Unforeseen issues with the existing building such as a settling foundation, water leaking into the basement, and crumbling asbestos flooring forced the committees to move up portions of the overall project to the summer of 2024.

But thanks to grants, multiple donations, and funds raised by the parish, along with hundreds of volunteer hours from the parishioners, the parish was able to complete multiple repairs to the school.

The projects completed included removal of the old asbestos flooring in the kitchen and cafeteria and replacement with new epoxy floors.

Repairs to walls, ceilings and the pantry were completed, and the cafeteria was topped off with a fresh coat of paint.

Contractors stabilized the school’s foundation, and the drainage issues were corrected, in coordination with the city of Freeburg, to prevent further flooding in the basement.

Also, the loud, squeaky gym floor was repaired. The floor joists were reinforced, a new subfloor placed, and commercial laminate flooring was laid.

Currently, tuckpointing and sealing of the exterior brick is under way, which will wrap up the summer projects.

Throughout the summer, overwhelming support from parishioners was obvious. Volunteers removed and replaced equipment, dishes, cabinetry, window treatments, flooring etc. from the kitchen, cafeteria and gym.

After all the projects were completed, the entire school was deep-cleaned to eliminate all the construction dust and debris while preparing the building for the new school year.

An open house was held on Aug. 7 to welcome the community to see the renovations and celebrate the hard work completed over the summer.

For many Holy Family parishioners, this school expansion is a new experience. It is clear, however, that parishioners welcome the opportunity to be part of the “Building a Legacy of Learning” campaign and embrace the Holy Family School expansion.

After all, this school has been serving the community for 120 years — an exciting milestone reached in October of this year.

It’s also clear that additional donations are greatly needed to complete this campaign and building expansion.

Donations large or small can be made online at holyfamilyfreeburg.com or by mailing a check or filling out a pledge card.

All donations are tax-deductible. “Thank you for prayerfully considering to support the future of our children and community,” the capital campaign committee stated.