BUILDING OUR FUTURE:

The Case for St. Bernard Academy’s Campus Enhancement

When it was finally the 10-year-old boys’ turn to

run, the students nervously stretched and got into

position. The starting gun sounded, and they took

off across the field. Nearly fifteen minutes later,

children began crossing the finish line. Two sets of

parents couldn’t find their sons. Moments later they

realized why.

Earlier in the race, a student from another school

tripped and went down in pain. Instinctively and

without regard to his place in the race, one of our

Bears bent down and helped him up. Neither child

knew the other before the race, but together, they

limped arm in arm across the finish line.

BUILDING OUR FUTURE:

The Case for St. Bernard Academy’s Campus Enhancement

A few years back, nearly a thousand students laced up their shoes and crowded the St. Cecilia Academy campus for the annual county-wide cross country meet. Cross country is one of St. Bernard’s most popular sports, so nearly a third of our students

were there to culminate months of practice. Race after race was run; some St. Bernard students placed, some didn’t. And then something unusual happened.

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Two distinctive traits permeate St. Bernard

Academy’s campus. Compassion—when a child

helps a stranger finish a cross country race—is the

first. Academic excellence is the second. Both are

rooted in our proud and strong Catholic tradition.

Each of our students works at least one grade level

ahead of their peers at other schools. Our teams

consistently rate highest in math, science, and

forensic competitions. High schools vie for our

students because of their preparation and

study habits.

WHY DO OUR STUDENTS EXCEL?

We’re proud of these traits, but we can’t take all the credit.

Far before they first enter our doors, our students

learn kindness, social justice, and a passion for

learning at home. As parents, you model the

behavior that we reinforce every day in all we do.

Like you, we achieve that delicate balance between

nurture and challenge, and it shows in our test

scores and in our citizenship.

It also shows in our enrollment, which has outgrown our current spaces.

We want to be big enough to field a basketball team or assemble a band, but small

enough to maintain a selective admissions process and foster close relationships with

each of our families.

But our facilities have not kept up with the outstanding education happening inside.

Classes are cramped. Students do not have the opportunity to foster their talents

outside the classroom. We want to do more for our students—your children.

We proudly launch Building Our Future, the $1 million campaign to build six

new classrooms, a new fine arts and multi-purpose building, and renovate existing

administrative offices into a student support center. With your energy and your

financial support, we embrace the momentum we feel every day and create

something special, a place where ambition and empathy share equal importance.

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We are committed to keeping our student body large enough to maintain affordable tuition while keeping class sizes small.

WE’VE OUTGROWN OUR SPACES

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“WE TALK WITH PRIDE ABOUT OUR

STUDENTS, OUR FACULTY, AND OUR

FAMILIES, BUT NOT ABOUT OUR

FACILITIES. LET’S CHANGE THAT AND

BUILD A CAMPUS WE CAN BE PROUD

OF, WHERE THE QUALITY OF OUR

FACILITIES MATCHES THE QUALITY OF

OUR FACULTY AND STAFF.”

CHUCK SABO, HEAD OF SCHOOL

Band practice integrated into the school day, giving more students the chance to join and learn to play an instrument

Band practice starts at 7 am, four days a week, immediately eliminating talented students who cannot arrive early

Students navigate the “St. Bernard River” through rain and cold to reach the music room, located in a converted garage

No space for a drama program; a school play has been performed only twice in the last eight years

No space large enough to celebrate Mass with all students, faculty, and guests without interrupting class schedules

TODAY COMING SOON.. .WITH YOUR SUPPORT

Large classrooms built for group collaborations and individual learning

Old classroom divided into two tiny classrooms

A multi-purpose building to host school-wide assemblies and Mass, without altering classes

Students develop an ear for music in a fine arts space central to the rest of campus

A thriving drama program gives our children a chance to act and hone their public speaking skills

Spacious classrooms designed for individualized and group learning, and interactive teaching styles

Students learn in classrooms between the stage and the gym, distracted by noise

New student support center with space and tools for tutoring, counseling, and family conferences

Storage closets used as tutoring spaces

The multi-purpose building increases after school space, allowing for new programming

Limited aftercare activities because of a lack of space

A multi-purpose building provides additional space for team practices

Basketball teams practice late on school nights, the only time gym space is available

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In 2011 we began a very strategic process to guide

SBA’s growth. We invited our entire community to

take part in that conversation. We learned that we

do a lot of things well, but we also learned that we

are missing opportunities. Our facility is crowded,

and many of our spaces are inadequate.

The new SBA will turn our campus from a dated

physical plant into one we treasure. Six new

classrooms along with administrative space will

be built along Bernard Avenue. A 6,000 square

foot multi-purpose building will provide space for

school-wide assemblies, Mass, performing arts,

PE on inclement weather days, and our aftercare

program. By turning the old SBA swimming pool

footprint into green space, we continue to provide

outdoor land for our children to play and exercise.

The current administrative offices will be converted

into a student support center.

The planning study revealed that more than

anything else, you want to see more classrooms

and better student support space. You also want

a building that can be configured many different

ways: for gathering, performing, worshiping,

and playing.

A DELIBERATE ANALYSIS

Building Our Future gives our school community these spaces and opportunities. As SBA looks to its next 150 years, Building Our Future

sets our school on a path for a proud future.

• Class sizes will remain small across all grade levels.

• New, large classrooms will be configured for 21st-century learning.

• Teachers will continue to have advanced technology tools to aid their lessons.

• Students have ample space for large and small group discussions, individualized study, and interactive learning.

• Fourth grade classes are moved from behind the stage and gym; no longer are students distracted by PE classes or musical performances.

• The science lab, today used as a regular classroom, is once again dedicated to science.

Small class sizes and a small student body, the

hallmark of an SBA education, are traditions we

intend to keep. It’s how our teachers get to know

your children as well as they do. It’s how they

identify and foster hidden talents, and recognize

when a student needs a little extra.

To keep class sizes small, however, we must build

more classrooms. There is no other answer.

Dolores Hackett, a fourth grade teacher, is an

expert on SBA’s need for classroom space. Her

classroom is one of two spaces between the stage

and the gym. Every day, her lessons compete

with musical notes and bouncing basketballs.

Imagine how much more effective Dolores, and her

colleagues, could be in a proper classroom.

Building Our Future provides six new classrooms

that incorporate the latest technology and are

designed to maximize learning. These new

spaces will be flexible enough for group study,

independent reading, and interactive learning.

They enhance our teachers’ ability to blend the

most current education practices with effective

traditional styles.

ROOMS TO GROW

“We definitely need more space. Some teachers have to share classrooms. The guitar and piano students take lessons in closets. The school counselor’s office is right across from the noisy gym in the school’s busiest hallway, which makes

it hard to have a meeting with her.”

– Charlotte Mays, 5th Level Student

BUILDING OUR FUTURE ADDS SIX NEW CLASSROOMS

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“OUR MUSIC PROGRAM ISN’T

STRONG, BUT IT’S NOT FOR A LACK

OF INTEREST OR TALENT. WE JUST

DON’T HAVE A PLACE FOR IT. WE

LIVE IN ‘MUSIC CITY.’ WE SHOULD

BE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE

CULTURAL OPPORTUNITIES ALL

AROUND US.”

MICHAEL STEWART, MUSIC TEACHER

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• 6,000 square feet of flexible space to be used for assemblies, Mass, and as additional practice space.

• Large enough to celebrate Mass for the entire student body, faculty, and guests without interrupting the academic day.

• Stage and performance space for band, choir, and drama programs.

• Additional space for the aftercare program, expanding its programming activities and opportunities.

There is no single building that can hold our entire

student body for assemblies or to celebrate Mass

without disrupting the academic day. Building Our

Future will provide a multi-functional building

large enough to hold all students, faculty, and

guests, and one that can be used to meet a variety

of needs.

SBA was founded by the Sisters of Mercy on

traditions of self-discipline and the pursuit of social

justice. We honor their legacy and the lessons they

left. A new multi-purpose building gives us a space

to hold Mass.

In a new multi-purpose building, St. Bernard can

host school-wide assemblies. Professors, scientists,

and professionals from our community can share

discoveries and theories. Musicians and industry

professionals can perform while teaching lessons

of perseverance and hard work. Having a proper

facility in which to gather gives us a chance to

take better advantage of the exceptional city that

surrounds us.

With more space, we can finally develop a

comprehensive fine arts program. Our band, which

now excludes students who cannot make it to 7

a.m. practices, can hold practices during the school

day. We can produce more programs that showcase

our students’ talents and develop their public

speaking and acting abilities. In our new multi-

purpose building, we can better take advantage

of the talent and expertise of our current staff

and volunteers.

Aftercare is essential to many of our families. Our

new multi-purpose building will provide space for

aftercare programming that meets the needs of this

growing population. Attendance at aftercare has

doubled in the past 5 years from 60 to 120 students

daily and continues to grow as we meet the needs of

two-income households joining our community.

ONE SPACE: INFINITE POSSIBILITIES

BUILDING OUR FUTURE CREATES A NEW MULTIPURPOSE BUILDING

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• Designated rooms for tutoring.

• Welcoming spaces for guidance and counseling.

• Dedicated administrative space that brings the entire administration together to work more efficiently and effectively.

St. Bernard is blessed to have extremely talented

and dedicated teachers and staff. Whatever

challenges confront our students, our teachers

and staff respond with a plan and the support of a

caring family.

Because space is at such a premium at St. Bernard,

students today meet with their tutors in closets.

Sensitive conversations take place in crowded

administrative offices.

Building Our Future will repurpose the current

administrative offices into a student support center.

Filled with resources and tools to help our students,

the center will feature rooms dedicated to tutoring

and welcoming spaces for guidance and counseling.

Part of the first floor of the new classroom building

becomes home to SBA’s administration. By being

together in a single space, the administration can

function more efficiently and effectively as a team.

EXTR A HELP IS THERE WHEN IT’S NEEDED

BUILDING OUR FUTURE REPURPOSES OLD ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES INTO A STUDENT SUPPORT CENTER

St. Bernard Academy takes seriously our fiduciary

responsibility to you, our families. We will be both

strategic and conservative in our plans, building

only what we need and what we can afford.

Building Our Future’s goal is to raise $1 million.

This amount will be coupled with reserve funds

and financing. We do not intend to raise tuition to

pay for these campus enhancements. Instead, we

will borrow only what we can easily incorporate

into our annual operating budget.

We plan to borrow minimally and responsibly, and

this is why your support is so crucial. Every dollar

we raise as part of Building Our Future is one less

dollar we borrow or remove from our reserves.

HOW WILL WE FUND THESE ENHANCEMENTS?

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The momentum spreading across our campus grows stronger every day. Because you’ve helped us achieve the rare balance between nurture and challenge, great things

are happening at SBA.

The time is now to harness this energy and turn it into real opportunities for our school family. Let’s create a world-class campus for St. Bernard Academy that matches our

enthusiasm for learning and our academic excellence. Let’s take advantage of our proud heritage and make SBA even

better because our children deserve nothing less.

WE CAN’T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ACT

1866Six Sisters of Mercy come to Nashville

from Dublin, Ireland, to open St. Bernard Academy in downtown Nashville adjacent

to the State Capitol.

1873Mercy Sisters halt classes and spend five

weeks caring for Nashville’s sick during a cholera epidemic. Not one Sister of Mercy

contracted the disease.

1905St. Bernard Academy and Convent moves

to its campus on 21st Avenue.

1924New wing added to the St. Bernard

Convent building on 21st Avenue including a large chapel, cafeteria and additional

sleeping quarters for the Sisters.

1960St. Bernard Academy expands to include

high school at the corner of Bernard Avenue and 24th Avenue and is considered state of

the art for its time, especially since it was air conditioned.

1988St. Bernard Academy parents purchase

the school from the Sisters of Mercy. SBA becomes the first elementary school in the country to be purchased by a nonprofit

group of parents.

2002Kate Kaplan Academic Addition is

completed providing the two classrooms behind the stage.

2004SBA completes an extensive campus

renovation and building initiative to add the James W. Carell Dining Hall, the

Catherine McAuley Chapel, and a new art room and kindergarten.

2014SBA launches Building Our Future

to expand its campus and provide new opportunities for its growing student body.

SBA CELEBRATES 150 YEARS

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4%

96%

96% OF SBA FRIENDS AND FAMILIES INTERVIEWED DURING THE CAMPAIGN PLANNING STUDY SAID THEY WOULD

SUPPORT BUILDING THE FUTURE FINANCIALLY OR CONSIDER

MAKING A GIFT.

STEERING COMMITTEE

ADRIAN RODRIGUEZ

Campaign Chair

ALICE RODRIGUEZ

Campaign Chair

MONA AND DAVID TEHLE

Honorary Co-Chairs

CHRIS BALTZ

JILL BALTZ

JIM BUSH

Campaign Consultant, Winkler Group

KELLY MCGILL-BARRETT

TYLER BARRETT

MARK BARRY

Chair-Elect, Board of Trust

KATHY BOLES

Chair, Board of Trust

CHRIS CRANE

GABRIELLA CRANE

JEROME DEL PINO

TESSA LEMOS DEL PINO

JOHN GALASSINI

MARGY GALASSINI

FRANK GRACE, JR.

BILL HAMILTON

KATHY HAMILTON

KELLEY HENRY

BRIAN LADEN

NANCY LADEN

PHILIP MATTINGLY

CARL SABO

Head of School

CHRISTINE SCRUGGS

Director of Development

CURT WINTER

Assistant Head of School

2020 24TH AVENUE SOUTH • NASHVILLE, TN 37212www.stbernard.org