By Clarion Herald Staff Photos courtesy of Michael Palumbo Photography
When classes resume on Aug. 13, students at the Academy of the Sacred Heart will enjoy the fruits of a major renovation to their Mater Campus, located at the corner of Gen. Pershing Street and St. Charles Avenue.
The approximately 100,000-square-foot campus complex holds educational spaces for students ages 1 through fourth grade. The transformation of the Mater Campus includes, clockwise, from upper left: construction of a new entrance vestibule on Gen. Pershing; a new plaza featuring an outdoor learning space; and the renovation of the Nims Fine Arts Center.
At the Nims Center, a multi-purpose performance center that can accommodate the entire school community, bathrooms were added and expanded, storage areas were incorporated, windows looking out into the courtyards were enlarged to let it more natural light, walls and ceilings were painted, floors were re-carpeted, acoustic panels were installed and a new screen was positioned for large-scale presentations.
Before Sacred Heart bought the Mater Campus building, it was owned by the First Baptist Church in New Orleans, which relocated to its current home in Lakeview home on Canal Boulevard near City Park Avenue. In other Academy of the Sacred Heart news, the school recently completed its Summer Learning Experience, which enabled existing students ages 1 through eighth grade to return to campus for enrichment and socialization, while practicing new safety protocols.