Harbor Light Christian School
Expansion FAQs
As discussed January 22, 2020

 

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Table of Contents:

  • General Questions
  • Expansion Building Questions
  • Expansion Money Questions
  • Renovation Questions

 

Q&A - Legacy Gym 2020

General Questions

 

Has the school grown enough in 5 years to need all this new space?

Yes, we currently have 146 students with a goal to expand to a maximum of 200 students. We are currently bursting at the seams and need more classrooms if we are to accommodate this growth.

Did anyone ask the parents if they want a new gym?

The Lord moved on the heart of alumni, coach, and school board member, Jeff Jakeway’s heart and approached the leadership of the church and school. We did not do a survey. This was a decision made by the HLCC Elders and Leadership with the support of the HLCS School Board.

What kind of increased enrollment is expected to result?

HLCS has been on a steady growth track for the last 4 years. We are not sure what the future holds, but, our desire is to provide stability for Christian education in Northern Michigan. While we don’t desire families to join HLCS solely as a result of this expansion, we do desire to accommodate families seeking an education rooted in the truth of God’s word. HLCS will always remain a school that encourages community and family involvement and our hearts desire is to have an enrollment number around 200 students.  We do have families interested and this project has sparked more interest. We have seen over the years that many times when kids make it to HS, we lose them for sports to public schools. We firmly believe this will help with retention.

Did we conduct a market study of Christian schools in northern Michigan to support the need for this project?

No, there are too few Christian schools in the area.

Is HLCS now focusing on athletics?

Yes, this is one of the AAA+ goals we have as a school that is excellence in all areas: Academics, Arts, Athletics, Trades. Athletics have always been an important part of our school.  We also don’t have a home for music. Our current teacher has to roll instruments in and out of storage for each class. She’s also next to preschool which can disturb their rest time.

Expansion Building Questions

 

If we break ground on April 1, how long will it take to dry it in?

Roughly six months.

Is the expansion project going to be completed in stages?

Yes. 1st Phase: Building the new gym and classrooms. 2nd Phase: Connection to our current building.

Will we need expanded parking?

No, we will continue to  park on the south end of the building. However, space is available on both sides of the street  if that’s a need in the future.

How will crowds get from the parking lot to the gym for games?

Through the east wing hall. This will allow us to showcase our children’s ministries and Preschool program.

What will the impact of more people moving through the building be on the current hallways and carpet be?

Increased exposure to the whole ministry.  The more the better. We will likely need to replace the carpet more often. What a great problem to have! As carpets need to be replaced we will explore the best options for high volume areas.

How many classrooms can be gained from using prayer room space?

At least 2.

Will the church use the expansion too?

Yes! We will be using it as well.  We have big dreams and visions.

Have contracts been signed with builders to make sure we don’t get stuck in the middle?

This is currently in process. All the plans are at the steel companies.  We will be signing contracts soon.

What about fire suppression?

We will not need suppression as it will be made of steel and concrete.

What about drainage?

 Because the roof on the expansion will be slanted, and metal- snow will be able to slide off the East side which is where our septic system is.

What about snow removing from roof?

It will slide off.

Can there be a spot on the school website to get updates on the project?

 Yes, every step of the way.  Please visit harborlightchristian.org/vision-2020

Is there a clear plan to explain the steps to construction and steps to fundraising?

We have developed a plan which maps out the guideposts of what can be done with various amounts of money.  Our hope is to connect the dots clearly.

Expansion Money Questions

 

How much will the church contribute to utilities, maintenance and custodial costs?

We currently share and we will be using the same system.  During the school year HLCS is responsible for 75% of expenses and HLCC is responsible for 25%. This flips in the summer and will remain this way.

This seems bigger than $1.5 million, how can we do it for so little?

 Our project manager, Jeff Jakeway, has a lot of contacts in this industry and has been able to get numerous contractors to donate portions or their contributions to the project.

Are there other similar projects we can look at estimated costs versus actual costs?

 Jeff’s experience with previous North Star Projects have resulted in buildings that are completed on time and on budget, we believe it will be the same.

If we rent out our facility to other organizations how much revenue could that potentially generate?

The space’s first priority will be use for school and church. Other local venues charge a great deal for hourly and daily rental. We are confident that we will be able to do the same.

Who will oversee and manage this expansion?

HLCC is in charge of all the space so it’s consistent.

Why not just give $1.5 million to the teachers salaries?

We are praying this increase will allow us to pay our teachers more than they are currently making.  We’ve had fundraising projects in the past to cover general expenses such as salaries, and funds come in slowly.  This expansion will help us get more students which will allow an increase in salaries.

Do we need an elevator and how much will it cost? Upkeep?

Yes we do. A service lift, which is similar to an elevator will work well for the space.  This will cost roughly $30,000 less than an elevator and will cost $1,500 in annual maintenance.

It was pitched to be a debt free project, is that still the case?

Yes. We will be fundraising. We believe once we start building more will come in.

How has the fundraising effort gone so far?

$374,205 has been raised.  $53,000 more has been pledged.

How much was it going to cost to repair the north roof?

Estimated repair is $80,000. When we originally added the North wing the new roof line did not match up with the existing roof.  We hired a company to repair the seam, the patch lasted 5 years, and is in need of repair again.

Has the county given the green light on this?

Yes. Permits to be signed soon.

Isn’t it foolish to get a new building then expect God to pay for it?

Yes.  To buy something and expect God to cover it would be foolish.  We have prayed about this and truly believe God is in this decision.  It IS a step of faith, but it’s not foolish to seek him and follow his prompting. Will continue to follow His lead and trust his guidance.

Will this increase HLCS tuition costs onto parents?

No. We are doing this debt free. Inflation is always on the rise, so tuition will go up through the years as needed, but not because of the building project.

What are the next steps to fundraising?

Project site tours will be an exciting way to sell advertising for the legacy floor.  Also, word of mouth from Harbor Lighters and excitement will help! Everyone working together will make  the biggest impact.

What if something happens to Jeff Jakeway before it is done?

Insurance policy is already in place.

Do people get their money back if this doesn’t happen?

YES.

Did the church pay to have the lot cleared and leveled on the north end of the building?

That was done a few years ago and will save us a great deal of money on this project. 8,600 yrds of sand and dirt were removed which offers us a savings of $50,000-85,000.

How much can the church invest in the expansion?

$40,000.

Who will own the expansion?

HLCC. HLCS is a ministry of HLCC.

How much will the increased costs be for each of these areas?

  1. Maintenance $7,000 year (basic upkeep).
  2. Utilities  $16,000 per year with 75%/25% splits
    Current utilities: 44,000sqft are roughly $40,000 per year. The  expansion is 16,000 sqft of additional space. $16000 is the estimate for the increase.
  3. Custodial  We will be adding a part time staff member to take care of the space.

 

Renovation Questions

 

When will HLCC start raising money for the renovation?

Months before the moving of the legacy floor. Our current gym floor will be moved into the new building and the church will have to pay about $35,000 to concrete, rebar and carpet.

Can the renovation be done in stages?

Yes, the floor hole will have to be filled first.

What can be done with the current room?

There are limitless possibilities.

Can the church make the current sanctuary/gym to be renovated for the Performing Arts? Future use for school plays and concerts?

Yes, that is the direction we’d like to go.  We would like to avoid slope flooring so that we can use the room for banquets and such.

How much will it cost to replace the current floor?

We have  estimated $35,000.

What about new Lights, Sound, Video?

 Yes, you bring it, we will spend it. 🙂  A/V equip is very expensive and we will explore those options at a later time.

What can be done with the seating?

 Our plan is to  keep the floor flat in order to use the space for  other events, like dinners, or conferences.

Will the current bleachers go to the expansion?

No, they would not survive a move.

Can we change the shape of the sanctuary for better sound?

Yes. There are many possibilities.

Can we expand the foyer to fit our congregation?

Yes. Our current attendance  average is 373 per Sunday morning.  We could eventually blow out the walls in the foyer and expand that space if the Lord leads.

What can be done with the current locker room area? Balcony? Kitchen?

We will hold on these decisions for a year, then decide. We want to use all space well and maximize it fully and wisely.

Can there be a dedicated children’s ministry area?

There are very few spaces in the building that are dedicated to one specific purpose.  Most of the dedicated space is for the school. This is a tremendous way that the chapel supports the school.

Will the prayer room / wedding chapel be relocated?

 Yes, but we are not sure where at this time.