Located in Galloway Township, N.J., the new pre-K through eighth grade Assumption Regional Catholic School and accompanying parish replaced the original Church of the Assumption and parish school. A design-build project with a two part-building program, the school was designed by Manders/Merighi Associates (now Manders Merighi Portadin Farrell Architects LLC), Vineland, N.J. Stanker & Galetto, a Vineland-based contractor, was selected to lead the project.
The Diocese of Camden adopted design-build project delivery to maximize control over the elementary school’s critical completion date. The end product was a two-story, 60,000-square-foot building that allowed for the later addition of a church. The building’s 7,100-square-foot gymnasium utilized metal building systems from Butler Manufacturing, Kansas City, Mo. Folding doors separate the cafeteria and gymnasium, but when opened the spaces flow together in one continuous space. The combined areas seated up to 750 at a past event. When configured for cafeteria use, that portion of the building has 26 round tables with seating for six students each and operates over three lunch hours.
The school applied a hybrid mix of structural, roof and wall materials. The main classroom area utilized conventional load-bearing construction with a metal truss roof system. The walls are made up of Hayden, Idaho-based Acsys Inc.’s preinsulated Koreteck panel system with a stucco-like exterior finish. Solar energy was also utilized as the students gained a firsthand view of a photovoltaic solar energy system created over a retention basin behind the church, an array of 2,912 solar panels that are 225-watt polycrystalline modules.
The academic components of the spatial plan created eight classrooms on the second floor assigned to the upper grades and 12 classrooms on the first level. There are also remedial and music rooms, a media center, computer lab and science lab. Technologies include 27 computer stations, Smart Boards, flat screen TVs and parental online access for review of student grades and cafeteria accounts. The new school continues to earn staff and parental praise for the efficient design, costeffective construction and operational efficiency.
Acsys Inc., www.acsys.net,
Butler Manufacturing, www.butlermfg.com
