Congratulations to St. Andrew’s School Head of School Cyndy Weldon-Lassiter, who was an honoree at the Richmond Times-Dispatch Person of the Year event for her work not only running a terrific school, but overseeing the renovation project that will allow the school to continue to serve children for many more years.
From email announcement:
St. Andrew’s School and Church are co-hosting a Girl Scout troop in Oregon Hill. We are starting with girls between kindergarten and 5th grade. The first meeting is next Tuesday, November 4 at 5:30 at the School. All are welcome. For more information, please contact Beth Holthaus at bholthaus@st-andrews-school.org.
Richmond BizSense has an article on St.Andrews’s renovation and recovery from fire. Here’s an excerpt:
St. Andrews School has wrapped up renovations of its 114-year-old building at 227 S. Cherry St. and reopened for classes Sept. 28 – a few weeks later than originally planned because of a fire in one of its new air conditioning units in late August.
It took a while to clear away the smoke and water damage and ensure the remaining units were safe, said Michelle Rosman, the school’s director of marketing and communications. But once doors finally opened, this year’s 97 students were welcomed into a clean, cool building, with a new HVAC system, buffed floors that removed years of wear and new plaster walls made to match the historic construction.
The work on the building largely consisted of repairing damage to the roof and gutters, both of which were very old and allowed water to seep into the school.
The renovations were fueled by a $1.2 million fundraising campaign completed last year and pro bono contracting work from The Monument Cos. The school surpassed its goal by about $300,000, which allowed it to not only pay for the construction work, but to purchase brand new furniture and ensure each classroom has up-to-date technology, as well.
From NBC12:
Crews tell us they responded to St. Andrew’s School, located at 227 South Cherry Street, around 4:46 p.m Sunday after being contacted by construction workers. They say initial reports are that an air conditioning unit on the third floor caught fire.
The fire was marked under control around 5:05 p.m. A cause is under investigation.
A building inspector will help determine the condition of the building. It’s unclear if classes could be impacted. The school has been undergoing renovations all summer.
Also, there was a ‘suspicious package’ down on Tredegar Street near the Civil War Museum. Police had closed off the road as a precaution while it was being investigated.
From St. Andrew’s School FaceBook page:
The stunning Star of Bethlehem has been safely rewired and the ceiling above it repaired. It now shines continuously above the stage in Baldwin Hall. Floors are being stripped down to the original wood, air conditioning is installed in Baldwin Hall – for the first time EVER! Old tile floors are being stripped, an old entrance is being opened up and made grand again and new offices are being created from old spaces. The central stairway is the last part to have the plaster renewed and on the exterior, every nook and cranny is being repaired and protected from water. We’re almost ready for The Next 120 Years.
As St. Andrew’s School goes under extensive renovations, re-discoveries are made. Here is a photo of the original pulley system for the dumb-waiter, courtesy of the St. Andrew’s School FaceBook page:
From the St. Andrew’s School FaceBook page:
Take a look at this gorgeous video shot by a drone sent up to inspect the cupola and roof of St. Andrew’s for help in planning the repairs. Beautiful shots of Oregon Hill and downtown Richmond!
From the St. Andrew’s School FaceBook page:
St. Andrew’s School was one of the winners at last night’s festive RVA Creativity Awards! We won in the RVA Engagement & Impact category for our collaborative work with Edible Education and Field of Dreams Farm in the development of our Nutrition & Wellness Program. Of course, the real winners are our children, who benefit from (and LOVE) the fresh, healthy, chef-prepared breakfast, lunch and snack they received in school every day.
RichmondBizsense.com has an article on how St. Andrew’s School has been able to raise money for renovating its 114-year-old building. An excerpt from the article:
St. Andrew’s School in Oregon Hill recently completed its capital campaign, surpassing its $1.2 million goal by nearly $300,000 within five months, allowing it to update its historic building at 227 S. Cherry St.
St. Andrew’s teaches students from low-income local families and offers an alternative to their assigned public school. All students are given full scholarships, and the school provides free breakfast, lunch and a snack each school day. Full capacity is about 96 students
St. Andrew’s teaches kids from kindergarten through 5th grade, and its current capacity is less than 100 students.
St. Andrew’s teaches kids from kindergarten through 5th grade, and its current capacity is less than 100 students.
The school’s Building Improvement Initiative fundraising campaign began in September. Head of School Cyndy Weldon-Lassiter said the renovations are the first step of multiple phases that will allow St. Andrew’s to better serve its students.
St. Andrew’s School’s FaceBook page featured this great photo:
Talk about #TBT! This photo of St. Andrew’s students playing in the yard is likely from right around 1900. They would have all lived close by in the Oregon Hill neighborhood and attended St. Andrew’s Church.
