Campaign Update : Celebrating A Significant Milestone in LCIS History
With excitement building for the opening celebrations for the new Upper School campus , it is important that we fully appreciate this incredible milestone in the school ’ s history and reflect on the success of the largest fundraising campaign ever embarked on by LCIS .
To further achieve the school ’ s mission for students of all ages , in 2014 , the LCIS Board of Directors and Governors made a strategic decision to purchase a tract of land in close proximity to the Lower School and adjacent to the St Paul ’ s sports field already in use . A visionary master plan for both campuses was finalised and a generous group of community donors came together to take the first step in what has become the most significant development in the recent history of LCIS .
$ 30 million has been raised and invested to-date in the overall master plan including recent renovations and enhancements to the Lower School . New facilities such as Dingman Hall have already positively impacted the student experience , which will be compounded by the completion of our beautiful new Upper School campus . $ 15 million of these funds were raised through donations and $ 15 million through perpetual bonds for the Upper School . Together with the establishment of an Endowment for Scholarships and Financial Aid , these achievements reflect the deep commitment of the entire LCIS community to providing a well-rounded and high-quality learning experience for our students and for The Bahamas as a whole .
This fall will see the opening of the new Upper School campus . The world-class facility , which includes state-of-the-art labs for biology and chemistry , a physics lab / design makerspace and visual and performing arts studios , will support our internationally recognised academic programmes while creating additional space for learning , co-curricular activities and expanded enrolment at all levels . This new campus will help continue the highquality work that our students and teachers take part in every day through our transformative International Baccalaureate ( IB ) education .
“ The new Upper School campus would not exist today if it were not for the generosity of our many supporters ,” said LCIS Principal Mr David Mindorff . “ These generous donors understood the need for LCIS to expand from its original footprint in the Cay . Their support has allowed us not only to provide the necessary facilities to support our academic programmes but to be able to offer additional enrolment opportunities in response to the ever-increasing interest in our school .”
While we celebrate our achievements to date , the work towards bringing the complete master plan to fruition continues . The school ’ s leadership and Board of Directors and Governors will focus on continued fundraising for the Upper School ’ s construction , with sporting facilities and the second academic building as main priorities in the next phase . An outdoor sports complex consisting of two multi-sport game courts and two tennis-only courts , will provide improved facilities for physical education classes and co-curriculars for students of all ages as well as opportunities for hosting tournaments and facilitating in-house training for local and international competitions . The second academic building will include a library and dedicated learning spaces for students in Grades 6-8 , adding to the strength of our Middle School programme . Further development of the field , a track , cross-fit gym , swimming pool and multi-purpose hall are all part of this larger vision .
As our quality academics , world-class campus and well-rounded programming continue to be strengthened , so will the opportunities for students . We are committed to making the LCIS experience available to the wider community as further investment is made in our Endowment for Scholarships and Financial Aid to support its long-term sustainability and the diversity of our student body .
We are extremely grateful for all the members of our community who have played various roles and contributed to bringing us to this celebratory moment . Thank you once again to everyone who has generously made this project possible , and we look forward to celebrating this momentous accomplishment with you in the year ahead as we launch the next chapter for LCIS .
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