Capital Campaign Fosters Major Expansion
Just over a year ago, supporters of Southside Christian launched “Rooted and Rising,” a three-year capital campaign to fund a transformative expansion at the 55-year-old school.
By April 2022, School Superintendent Dr. Sam Barfell said they had reached $13.1 million in gifts, pledges, and other resources toward their goal of $20 million, and construction will commence “any day now,” as soon as permits are approved. “I’m amazed at how God has provided,” Barfell says, noting the plan calls for 63,000 additional square feet to include 35 classrooms, along with learning therapy, art, and STEM labs and devoted space for the choir, orchestra, and band.
Barfell sees a strong path forward for the school; they will procure construction loans if needed, but the idea is to “raise as much as possible and finance as little as possible.” Enrollment has steadily increased for the last 10 years to the point at which Barfell says they are completely out of space and have waiting lists for admission. “Five years ago, we had reached 80 percent capacity. We knew it was time, so we started the master planning process and feasibility studies for fundraising. It was a lengthy undertaking, and when we got through it, we set a launch date of March 2020.” COVID may have pushed things back a year, but the superintendent has no doubt their plans will come to fruition.
It’s been 27 years since brick-and-mortar classrooms have been added to the school. For that reason, contractors will be addressing some infrastructure issues as the expansion progresses. Barfell notes that drop-off and pickup lanes will be part of the upgrade, and all parties surveyed—faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and board members—agree the time and scope are right. “I’m so proud and so grateful for the way everyone has come together,” Barfell exclaims.
The lead gift in the campaign was $2.5 million, but Barfell emphasizes that every donation is meaningful. Recently, he was called to a classroom to receive a gift of $1.72 proudly presented by a Southside second grader who wanted him to know he, too, supported the school.
Underscoring the school’s mission of Christian, biblically based education, Barfell says, “If it weren’t for that, none of this would be happening.” Once construction begins, the work is expected to take 14 to 16 months, concluding in fall 2023.
