New Building Addition Q&A
Messiah Lutheran Church & Loving Arms Child Care Center
Q: What is Messiah/Loving Arms adding on?
A: We are adding four more classrooms (two unfinished for now), office space, locker rooms, and a gymnasium.
Q: Why is Messiah/Loving Arms adding on?
A: The gymnasium will be used to provide a space for the children when the weather doesn’t allow them to go outside. We are also currently looking at using it for a “before and after school” program. One of the finished classrooms will be used to expand Loving Arms Child Care Center (bringing the total number of child care rooms to four). The other finished classroom will be used for Kindergarten. The use of the other two unfinished rooms is yet to be determined. They could be used for more child care, an additional Kindergarten room, or the beginning of an elementary school (room for grades 1-4 at two grades per room). The current addition is Phase IIA (the current child care center is Phase I; Phase IIB is the finishing of the other two rooms and possible expansion of an elementary school) of a three-phase program adopted in 1999. Phase III will be a new church sanctuary.
Q: When did construction start?
A: Construction began in early August after being delayed due to weather concerns.
Q: When will construction be completed?
A: God willing the building project will stay within the current projections which have the building being finished at the beginning of April.
Q: Will Loving Arms Child Care Center be taking infants?
A: Sorry, but the extra child care room will be used to help transition children between rooms.
Q: Will the Kindergarten be up and running by the fall of 2009?
A: Unless there is a disastrous event, the construction and furnishing of the new addition will have the Kindergarten room open in time for Fall 2009.
Q: Will the Kindergarten be All-Day?
A: While the hours of the Kindergarten will differ slightly from the current Child Care hours, the Kindergarten program will be a Monday through Friday full day program.
Q: What will the new teacher/student ration be?
A: The blue room (which will be a room for children out of the green room age) will be 1:7. The purple room, after the new addition opens, will have a ratio of 1:10. The new room (Yellow room) which is being built will be 1:12. The Kindergarten room will have a ratio of 1:14.
Q: What will the cost per student be for the Kindergarten?
A: Final numbers still need to be finalized and approved, but we are currently looking at a weekly cost of approximately $120 per student.
Q: Will the Kindergarten also be Christian based?
A: Yes, it will be.
Q: With the new gym, will there be a “Before & After School” program? Summer Programs?
Q: Will the First Grade classroom be opening up in 2010?
A: While we would like to open the first grade classroom as soon as possible, it seems at this time that a 2010 open date is unlikely. Financial and planning reasons may delay the first grade classroom another year or so. We still have every intention of opening a Lutheran Elementary School, but before we can set a timeline we have to see where things stand with the current addition.
Any other questions? Feel free to stop by Pastor Rockhoff’s office anytime. You may also give him a call at 722-1771 (o) or 722-9225 (h), or e-mail him at revrock1@yahoo.com.