Montini Catholic Capital Campaign 2023-Phase V

Montini Catholic Capital Campaign

CELEBRATE OUR FUTURE BUILDING ON SUCCESS

The campaign continues. . .

PHASE V

Our Leadership

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Janis M. Orlowski, MD, ‘74 Chair

Michael Manna ‘70, Vice Chair

Edward Mack, Secretary

Michael Bava, Treasurer

BOARD MEMBERS

Jeannette (Workman) Bartosz ‘85

Frank Conforti, Jr. ‘86

Joseph Dailey

Charles Erdman

Michael Gilmartin ‘86

Catherine Hoovel

Our Mission

Montini Catholic High School is a family-centered, co-educational, college preparatory high school, rooted in the life and teaching of Jesus Christ as emulated by St. John Baptist de La Salle and committed to the education of the whole person.

Our Lasallian tradition recognizes the sacredness of all persons and educates students of diverse abilities, cultures, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Each student is expected to participate in an educational setting that will emphasize the message of Christ, service, and responsibility to Church, family and community.

Our Lasallian Tradition

A Montini Catholic education, inspired by St. John Baptist de La Salle, patron saint of teachers, touches the hearts of each student, inspiring them to surpass their own expectations, achieve academic success, and experience personal and spiritual fulfillment within a safe, nurturing community.

Montini Catholic attempts to challenge and encourage the spiritual, intellectual, personal, cultural, social and physical development of each student giving priority to the following Lasallian characteristics:

• Attention to the individual

• Special concern for the poor

• Commitment to excellence

• Creative education for a variety of ability levels

• Religious instruction and service

• Promotion of justice and peace

• Faith-filled and zealous teachers working in association

Leigh-Anne Kazma

Dr. Scott Kier

Dennis McNicholas

James Miller

John Nania ‘79

Richard Rafanelli ‘76

Michael Santay

Michael Schumacher ‘71

Shannon Smith ‘89

Tracy TreDenick-Fricke

James Van De Velde ‘70

Walter Weisenburger ‘75

Carol Winfrey

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS

James Nelson

Kevin Beirne

James F. Segredo

Michael Devine, School Attorney

EMERITUS

Ronald Mangelsdorf

Janet McGivern

Chub Thompson

2022-2025 projects

• Student Financial Aid $500,000

• Teacher Salaries and Benefits $500,000 Campus Improvements $600,000

• Installed LED lighting throughout school campus $100,000

• Renovation of the Cafeteria, 100 and 200 corridor washrooms* $100,000

• Installation of windows in the 100 corridor classrooms facing 16th Street $100,000

• Construction of an enclosed walkway that would connect $150,000 the 300 Classroom Wing with the 100 Classroom Corridor

• St. John Baptist De LaSalle statue $150,000

Program Enhancements $250,000

Facilities Improvements $2,650,000

• Gymnasium addition providing a Student Fitness Center on $1,000,000 the main floor and a Dance Studio-Multipurpose Room for Broncette/Cheerleader practices; would also provide space for Yoga and Pilates gym classes during the school day

• Baseball Field (infield turf and new scoreboard)* $550,000

• Softball Field (infield turf and new scoreboard) $500,000

• Replace Field Turf - John L. Duffy Memorial Stadium $450,000

• Resurface Running Track - John L. Duffy Memorial Stadium $150,000

$4,500,000

* Completed Project

Endowment

Student Financial Aid – $500,000

Previous generations endowed our school with a vision for the future. As we near our 60th Anniversary celebration, now is the time for the Montini Catholic school community to continue that legacy shaped by the De La Salle Christian Brothers and the Sisters of St. Dominic of Adrian, Michigan. The growth of Montini Catholic’s Endowment Fund will help assure the school's long term financial stability and will make a long lasting impact on Montini Catholic students and their future.

Current Situation

Fifteen endowed scholarships totaling $569,400 make up the school's Scholarship Endowment Fund.

Montini Catholic is one of the most reasonably priced Catholic, private high schools in the western suburbs of Chicago. However, as tuition and fees continue to grow, many families are finding it more difficult to afford the cost of Catholic education, especially families with younger siblings.

Teacher Salaries & Benefits – $500,000

Recommendations

• Raise $500,000 in total donations for the General and Scholarship Endowment Funds which would bring the school's Endowment Fund total revenue to over $1 million dollars.

• Earnings from the General Endowment Fund will be directed by the Montini Catholic Board of Directors to meet its mission today and to advance the mission of education in future years. Priority will be given to raise faculty salaries and benefits as well as increasing funding for faculty professional development and continuing education opportunities.

• Earnings from the Scholarship Endowment will provide additional revenue to the school's financial aid program and sibling discount program.

• Provide opportunities for alumni and families to establish named endowed scholarships.

“You are called like apostles to make God known to others.”

– St. John Baptist de La Salle

Campus improvements

Campus LED Lighting – $100,000

Project Overview

Montini Catholic is going green. Over the past five years, Montini Catholic has been regularly converting standard lighting fixtures throughout the campus to LED lighting. Over 60% of the campus has been converted to LED lighting including the parking lot, several classrooms, auditorium, students service area, gymnasium, cafeteria and fieldhouse.

Presently, all the school hallways, the academic and administrative center, the 300 classroom wing and a few remaining classrooms in the main school building need to be converted to LED lighting. The school is realizing a substantial savings in electricity due to its efforts over the past five years to convert areas of the school to LED Lighting and it will realize future savings in its operating budget if the remaining areas in the school are converted to LED Lightning in the very near future.

The goal of this project is to raise $100,000 to convert the remaining areas of the school all at one time so that the school could realize additional electrical cost savings as soon as possible. Credits from ComEd are also being investigated to assist with the funding of this project.

Washroom Renovations –$100,000 Project Overview

From surveying our students and parents over the last five years, it was evident that an area that needed a facelift was our washrooms in the cafeteria and in the 100 and 200 classroom corridors. The toilet fixtures in the washrooms were installed in 1966 when the school was built. Over the years, the countertops, ceramic wall tiles, ceiling tiles, lighting and flooring were replaced and repaired but the washrooms looked tired and needed new toilet fixtures and a more modern and brighter look. The goal was to raise $100,000 to completely renovate the cafeteria washrooms to include new toilet fixtures, partitions, ceramic wall tile, LED Lighting, decorative epoxy flooring, countertop, faucets and ceiling tile. The goal included providing a major facelift to the 100 and 200 classroom corridors which included new toilet fixtures, wall paint, LED lighting, new ceiling tiles and new faucets for the countertops which were installed in 2018.

Enclosed Walkway – $150,000

Project Overview

The 300 Classroom Wing was constructed in 2003 at the same time the Fieldhouse was constructed. This wing consists of 8 classrooms – 5 of which have windows. All the classrooms have skylights and are airconditioned. The wing is connected to the 200 classroom corridor of the main school building and the Academic Administrative Center. However, at the time of construction, funds were not available to connect the 300 classroom wing to the 100 classroom corridor of the main school building. Although it is manageable, the current design results in a bottle neck of student traffic during passing periods for those students who have classes in the 100 corridor. The goal is to raise $150,000 to build an enclosed walkway connecting the 100 and 300 corridor that would match the existing exterior design of the school.

Window Installation – $100,000

Project Overview

When Montini Catholic was built in 1966, the philosophy of the brothers, as well as other religious orders, was to limit distractions in the classrooms during student instruction. Therefore, the Main School building was built without windows in any of the classrooms or office areas. This design limits students from looking out onto 16th street during class instruction, but it also causes a very closed in feeling, does

not allow for natural lighting and does not provide for outdoor air to assist in air circulation in the classrooms. Providing window in rooms 101, 103, 105, 107 and 109, along with LED lighting will create an enhanced learning environment and will provide for outdoor air to assist with air circulation. The goal is to raise $100,000 to install windows in these 5 classrooms facing 16th street.

St. John Baptist de LaSalle Prayer/Reflection Area – $150,000 Project Overview

Montini Catholic’s outside campus does not have any statues representing the Catholic, Lasallian heritage of Montini Catholic High School. A St. John Baptist de LaSalle prayer and reflection area should be added to our campus to signify our Lasallian mission of education and Catholic heritage.

Landscaping improvements, paved walkway, lighting and seating would complete this area.

$600,000

“God entrusts you to touch hearts.”

St. John Baptist de La Salle

Academic program enhancements

Project Overview

The goal is to raise $250,000 to establish an Academic Program Enhancement Fund. This Fund would be under the supervision of the Montini Catholic Administrative Team. Academic Department Chairs would have an opportunity to request funding from the fund to purchase equipment, software, materials as well as pay for professional development opportunities for their teachers or fund departmental extracurricular activities that will enhance student instruction in their department.

Future requests for the Academic Enhancement Fund will be designated as an area of giving in the Annual Fund as a way of keeping the fund at an adequate level.

Total – $250,000

“To touch the hearts of students is among the greatest miracles you can perform.”

– St. John Baptist de La Salle

Athletic Facilities Improvements

Gymnasium – $1,000,000

Project Overview

To construct a two story addition to the Montini Catholic Gymnasium. The addition would connect to the northeast end of the gymnasium. The first floor would provide a 60 ft X 42 ft space (2,520 square feet) for a student physical fitness center. The second floor would provide a 68 ft X 50 ft space (3,400 square feet) for a dance/multi use center. The present fitness center in the balcony of the gymnasium will be used to provide additional training area for the wrestling team and to create a multi-purpose room that would be used for team meetings and would be used for alumni and grade school student activities before and during basketball, wrestling and volleyball games as well as for dance and cheerleading.

Student Fitness Center

The student physical fitness center would be divided into three sections – cardiovascular fitness section, circuit training section and a free weight training section. The fitness center would be designed to provide and equipment and space for individual students to work out at the same time as sport teams are involved in weight training.

Cardiovascular Exercise Section would be equipped with:

• Ellipticals

• Exercise bicycles

• Rowing Machines

• Treadmills

The Fitness Section would be equipped with:

• Life Fitness weight machines - upper/lower body for circuit training

• Exercise balls

• Sit up boards

• Dumbbells and Dumbbell racks

The Weight Training Section would equipped with:

• Free Weight Plate Loaded Machines, (bench presses, squat racks, angle leg press)

• Dumbbells and Dumbbell Racks

• Kettlebells

A rubberized flooring system would be installed over the concrete floor. All the equipment that was purchased during the renovation the fitness center in the balcony of the gymnasium in 2019 will be relocated to the new fitness center which is a savings to the overall cost of the project.

Total – $2,650,000

Dance/Multi Use Center

The Dance/Multi Use Center will be designed to provide a secure, private well-equipped practice space for the Broncettes Dance Team and Cheerleading Squad after school and a private space for Yoga and Pilate Physical Education classes during the school day. Gym time would also be provided to the Broncettes for spacing in preparation for performances and competitions and to the Cheerleading Squad for stunting and spacing in preparation for performances and competition.

Flooring:

Key feature of the Dance/Multi Use Studio will the flooring that will be installed. The flooring for this space with be a Sprung Floor which consists of a SpringFlex Sub Floor System covered by a Marley Floor.

Other Features:

The Dance/Multi Use Studio will be soundproof, Mirror will be installed on the South Wall and Ballet Bars will be installed on the North Wall. This space will also have a sound system, storage system, office space for the dance and cheer coaches and LED lighting.

Athletic Facilities Improvements

Baseball Infield Turf/Scoreboard – $550,000

Project Overview

Install a synthetic turf in the infield of the baseball field, bullpen areas and install a new scoreboard. The Bronco baseball field one of the best facilities in the Catholic League. However, playability after rainy conditions or during a light rain has been a challenge. A great amount of time and money is spent to get the infield in shape after a rainy conditions. Due to the weather conditions in the Chicagoland area (March/April) a large number of baseball games are cancelled due to the condition of the infield. .

Along with games being cancelled, practices during specific months are also limited. The outfield drains well. Installing a synthetic playing surface in the infield will provide significantly more opportunities to use the field throughout the entire baseball season. This project will also allow for more lower level games to be played on the field. The project will make our field one of the best baseball facilities in the area and keep Montini Catholic competitive with other schools in our league and area.

Funds Secured; Project Underway

Scope of Work

• Excavate to subgrade for the infield and bullpen areas Spoils to be hauled and dumped off site

• Install an 8” HDPE collection pipe that ties into an existing structure or day lights within 50’ of the field

• Install a turf tie down system around the perimeter of the infield. Existing fence, backstop, dugouts, etc. to remain in place

• Install geotextile fabric over the subgrade and in the collection trench

• Furnish, grade, and compact variable thickness aggregate base with an average of 8 inches of drainable stone for the field area. Base system installed in two lifts.

• Furnish and install 1 set of bases, base anchors, and 1 bury all home plate

• Furnish and install 1 portable pitching mound

• Furnish and install field turf – specifically engineered for baseball Inlays for full baseball play. Batter’s box, catcher’s box, foul lines, bullpens and coaches boxes included.

“Have much care and affection for the young people entrusted to you.”

– St. John Baptist de La Salle

Athletic Facilities Improvements

Softball Infield Turf/Scoreboard – $500,000 Project Overview

The Montini Catholic High School Softball Field was constructed in the mid 90s and it is located on the lowest area of the school campus. This area collects a great deal of storm water run-off from the Montini Catholic campus and the two residential communities that neighbor Montini Catholic – Congress Knolls and Gramercy Park. Unfortunately, due to the location of John L. Duffy Memorial Stadium and the baseball field, this was the only location on the campus grounds that was available for the softball field to be located. Over the years, the school has invested a great deal of money in trying to improve the drainage of the outfield of the softball field. A great deal of drainage pipe has been installed over the years and recently the outfield has also been slit seeded. However, heavy and/or constant rainfall will cause games and practices to be cancelled.

The goal is to raise $500,000 in order for the school to install a synthetic athletic playing surface on the entire softball field – infield and outfield. This improvement would greatly increase the playability of the field for games and practices for all levels of softball and could be utilized for practice by other sport teams in the fall.

John L. Duffy Memorial Stadium

Turf - $450,000 • Track – $150,000

Project Overview

In 2011 a synthetic athletic surface was installed in John L. Duffy Memorial Stadium to replace the grass field. In addition, the six lane all -weather rubberized track surface and track infrastructure was completely removed and a new redesigned all -weather rubberized track and infrastructure was installed that provided six lane track and eight lanes for sprinting and short hurdle events. Also included were runways and sand landing pits for long jump and triple jump along with a pad and runway for pole vault. The field and track have already exceeded the manufacturer’s expected time for replacement but due to consistent preventative maintenance and repair by our athletic department the playing surface and track are in good shape.

However, after 12 years of usage by the football, soccer, lacrosse, track and field, cross country and rugby teams along with usage from physical education classes, it is anticipated that the field and track will need to be replaced in the summer of 2025. The goal is to raise $600,000 in the next two school years in order to replace the synthetic athletic playing surface and all weather rubberized track in John L. Duffy Memorial Stadium.