St. Mary of the Woods Catholic Church, both St. Construction has officially begun on the new, state-of-the-art campus that will house both Mary of the Woods Grade School and Trinity High School. The new facility will be located on a 10-acre site across Franklin Street from existing schools and will offer students a modern learning environment.

St. “Our current schools were built in the 1950s and 1960s and face increasing maintenance problems,” said the Rev. Brian Roby, pastor of St. Mary of the Woods Church. “In addition to these problems, we have been short on space for the last four years and have a waiting list that grows every year.”

Emily Hernandez, superintendent of schools, emphasized the need for a larger, more cohesive building.

“We have reached the limits of our current facilities,” Hernandez said. “Times have changed and we do not have enough classrooms to accommodate class sizes within current legal limits. Once upon a time, 54 first graders were crammed into a room with one teacher. “We are committed to providing a better learning environment for our students.”

The new two-story building will feature separate entrances for SMWS and THS and include common areas such as a media center, cafeteria and gym. Roby noted that the building was planned to serve current and future generations.

Phase 1 of the project, which will cost an estimated $11.2 million, includes construction of the entire building, focusing on the complete completion of the SMWS wing, administrative areas and common areas, he said. Phase 2 will focus on completing the THS wing, auditorium and additional gym space at an estimated cost of $5.7 million.

“We currently have $11.6 million in liens, and we already have about $6 million of that,” Roby said. “The Diocese of Owensboro has given us permission to begin Phase 1, but we still need $5.7 million to complete Phase 2.”

Construction of Phase 1 is scheduled to begin in early 2025 and is estimated to take 18 to 24 months to complete.

Primary school assistant principal Jill Payne emphasized how the new campus will better meet the needs of primary school students.

“We are incredibly grateful for the facility that has served past generations, but it is time to give our current and future students a space that meets today’s educational needs,” Payne said. “This new campus will allow us to provide a learning environment that supports academic development, safety and a sense of community – everything we want to instill in our students from an early age.”

Hernandez shared his appreciation for the forward-thinking approach to education that guided this project.

“Our world has evolved and our facilities need to reflect that,” said Hernandez. “We are grateful to those who provided education for my generation, and now it is our turn to build something future generations can be proud of.”

Architectural plans for the new campus include numerous modernizations to address the school’s growing student body and specific programming needs. These improvements include an expanded media center, a practice area for choir and band, and a Black Box Theater for the drama program.

Preschool classrooms are designed to meet 21st-century learning standards and provide space missing from 1950s- and 1960s-era buildings, Hernandez added.

Nathan West, high school assistant principal, said the facility’s layout also includes outdoor spaces such as playgrounds for SMWS, a greenhouse for the new National FFA Organization program and designated areas for community gatherings.

“Our students need an environment that supports their academic and extracurricular activities,” West said. “This includes not only updated classrooms, but also special rooms such as a new science lab and a dedicated FFA meeting space, both of which our current building cannot adequately provide.”

Hernandez emphasized the need for additional gym space to alleviate scheduling conflicts in athletics and other activities.

“Our current facilities are not adequate for the variety of programs we offer,” he said. “The new gym will allow our sports teams, physical education classes, and community events to have dedicated spaces. Many of these upgrades would already be standard at other schools, but we are working to make it a reality here.”

Roby expressed his gratitude for the community’s support in bringing this project to life.

“Our community and neighborhood stood behind this project,” he said. “We appreciate the support and are excited to provide a new space that will have a lasting impact on our congregation’s children and families and beyond.”

Click here to learn more about the new facilities and the church’s capital campaign.

“We are asking for financial support to make Phase 2 a reality,” Roby said. “As a congregation, there are few things we can do that will have an everlasting impact on the Kingdom of God than giving our children, the children, youth and families of our future, a new school in which to grow. “They will develop into productive and loyal Catholic citizens.”