Ensuring Student Success in a Post-Pandemic World
capital campaign
Archmere Academy’s historic and beautiful campus buildings have served its students and teachers well, adapting to many challenges and changes through its history. They have enabled an education that empowers students and nurtures community.
Pictured above: Laying the cornerstone of St. Norbert Hall in 1959; Archmere Prom, 1952.
Pictured at left: Biology class in The Manor, 1933; class in the Patio in the 1940s; the first Archmere gym, erected in 1939.
Making A Vision Reality
Inspired by its 90-year tradition rooted in Catholic values and Norbertine charism, Archmere Academy empowers young men and women to grow as scholars and well-rounded, empathetic leaders “prepared for every good work” (2Tim 3:17).
We empower our students through a dynamic and rigorous academic program, expansive athletic and extra-curricular programs, creative opportunities in the visual and performing arts, and teaching methodologies that develop students’ advocacy and critical thinking skills.
Archmere’s vibrant learning environment thrives because of the combination of motivated students and caring and innovative faculty, who meet in small classes and create strong teacherstudent learning connections. Our core values of community, reverence, wisdom, zeal, and respect, are foundational to our student, faculty, and staff interactions, as we live our mission daily, considering all student interactions as teachable moments. All facets of the Archmere experience reflect our Catholic and Norbertine tradition and values. School days begin with prayer, as do classes, and the whole student body gathers together for liturgy throughout the school year.
The Sport and Spirituality Program offers athletes on school teams opportunities to reflect on the presence of God in the wonder of creation through athleticism and sport. The Academy’s Norbertine spirit of hospitality welcomes students and families from diverse religious backgrounds, who enhance our faith journey. The Academy is enriched by our socio-economically diverse and inclusive student body. Seventy percent of Archmere students benefit from scholarships and financial assistance.
For all of these reasons, students and parents choose Archmere. This is the Archmere difference that you support with your annual contributions and special gifts.
Archmere Academy has always fulfilled its mission of developing the whole student — body, mind, heart, and soul.
Archmere Academy has always fulfilled its mission of developing the whole student — body, mind, heart, and soul. In this post-pandemic time, students are managing social and emotional reactions to the isolation and loss created by the pandemic. In addition to providing an excellent academic experience and maintaining campus facilities, it is critical that the Academy provides resources for and support to students, families, and staff, who need to process their responses to COVID-19 and its variants. As with many educational institutions, we have been challenged to secure funds to keep pace with growing financial assistance needs for our prospective and current families, a direction that has accelerated during the pandemic. We must continue to grow Archmere’s endowment to support operations, as well as scholarship and financial assistance programs, to meet our growing financial needs.
On the coming pages, we outline for you our plans that include programs and renovations to spaces in which these student programs occur — programs that will have a positive impact on our current and future students’ learning experiences, health and wellness, and our beautiful campus with expansive buildings and grounds. With your participation in this campaign, you will make a difference for our students. We hope you will join us in this vision. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Gratefully, Michael A. Marinelli, Ed.D. ’76 Head of School
The Patio Built: 1916
The former residence of John and Helena Raskob, the Patio is the heart of the school, having served as Archmere’s first school building. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the home is filled with unique craftsmanship and artistry. Today, in addition to housing Archmere’s administrative offices, the entire school community gathers in the Patio regularly for meetings, classes, fine arts programs presented by the newly established Helena Raskob Arts Institute, and signature student events, including junior and senior proms and receptions after Ring Mass and graduation, as well as wedding receptions and other family occasions.
Archmere has completed some interior and exterior renovations and maintenance over the years with the resources available. However, significant issues influencing the building’s integrity and function must now be addressed.
The Patio’s stained-glass ceiling skylight needs repair to prevent bowing. It is a significant work in the style of Tiffany, designed by his student, Henry Keck.
Installing an efficient, building-wide HVAC system will ensure a healthy air quality and constant indoor temperature and will help preserve the ceiling, as well as other finishes, the historic organ, and multiple pianos used for studio rehearsals and concert performances. Air conditioning the space will make the facility suitable for summer rental events, which is not practical at present due to extreme heat and humidity.
Combined with a refresh of the catering kitchen in the house, these renovations will offer an attractive venue year-round to support an increased revenue stream from event rentals.
The Patio: $1,650,000 | Work Planned for 2023-24
• Install Phase 1 of a new HVAC system in the building for providing heat to all floors and air conditioning to the main floor.
• Repair and refurbish the stained-glass skylight
• Rewire/replace existing ceiling lighting with LED lighting
With its home in the Patio, the Helena Raskob Arts Institute, provides students with lessons in voice, piano, and other instruments. For education and public concerts, the historic Patio Dresden Organ is being restored and preserved by the Archmere Academy Organ Society. The Helena Raskob Arts Institute provides annual concerts and programs for the public in the Patio.Recognized as a 2021 Top-50 High School Visual Arts Program
4 Students won National Scholastic Arts Medals in 2021
Archmere’s Visual Arts and Design program offers a broad range of visual, communication, and design experiences, and connects the arts with other disciplines, including the sciences and humanities. Although art and design courses are not required for graduation, 42% of the student body is enrolled in at least one art and design class.
The Manor, built between 1916 and 1918, was the garage and staff quarters of the original Raskob estate, and is also on the National Register of Historic Places. First converted to classroom spaces in 1940, the Manor has had many uses. Today, it is home to the Visual Arts and Design program.
There have been some renovations and upgrades to the building, but a more comprehensive planned renovation is needed to support student programs. Recently, because of health concerns generated by the pandemic, a new HVAC system was installed. As a result of a comprehensive facility study conducted by ABHA architects, Delaware, a three-phase renovation plan has been developed estimated at $5 million. Taking elements from each phase, the Academy’s leadership has outlined an approach to the building renovation that creates immediate impact on students’ experiences and provides operational efficiencies. Refurbishing and/or replacing with historical accuracy all of the bronze windows; replacing glass block with glass doors in the style of the original wooden garage doors, updating some electrical and plumbing, upgrading the fire suppression system, and adding a chair lift and ramps for enhanced ADA accessibility are included in the scope of work.
138 Delaware Regional Scholastic Art and Writing Awards in 2021
The Moglia Field House Built: 1939/1967
The Moglia Field House was built in two stages with the first gym, recently named the Marci Aitken Gymnasium, erected in 1939. The second gym, constructed in 1967, is connected to the original building with a lobby, concession area, restrooms, and athletic director’s office. In 2006, a renovation of the complex included new bleachers and a conversion of a lower-level bus garage into the Ambrogi Fitness Center for athletes.
A well-rounded education exercises the body as well as the mind. As part of our Norbertine, Catholic charism, our Sport and Spirituality Program helps student-athletes to reflect on important values learned through sport; namely, teamwork, humility, skill, respect, and commitment, which align with the core values of the Academy: community, reverence, wisdom, respect, and zeal.
Eighty-two percent of the Archmere student body completes in interscholastic sports. The Moglia Field House is nearly in constant use. Two specific projects are necessary to improve students’ athletic experience, health, and safety.
The Moglia Field House is not air conditioned. Even with an air circulation system in place, the building can be uncomfortable, especially throughout spring and fall during Delaware’s hot, humid days. Adding a new HVAC system will provide comfort to athletes and spectators, and enhance air circulation and quality. Created 15 years ago, the Ambrogi Fitness Center’s original equipment needs to be replaced. Both equipment and training space need refreshing and updating, especially since student athletes access the facilities all year and often use the Center to train and condition off-season.
The Moglia Field House:
• New HVAC System
• Renovated Ambrogi Fitness Center
Constructed in 1959, Saint Norbert Hall was renovated in 2017. The $8.5 million renovation was funded by a capital campaign, which raised approximately $7.5 million for the renovation project, and another $1.5 million for endowment. The project was completed on time and on budget; however, value-engineering decisions had to be made to keep costs in line with budget. One of the decisions was to maintain the existing exterior window and door system that was installed in the late 1980s, as the original estimate expanded significantly, after an engineering review determined that the window system originally planned needed to be upgraded to a commercial-grade system, which would have added more than $500,000 to the renovation budget. Five years later it is time to replace the now almost 35-year-old windows and doors that are starting to fail, generating chronic water infiltration and energy loss.
Lauren Yaslov, BSN, RN ’16 Nurse, Hospital at University of Pennsylvania
