February 2020 Update
Overview
Having our campus on the grounds of Camp Rockmont has allowed us to offer a unique outdoor experience for students in which hiking and eating lunch outside are possible. Over our 24 years at Camp Rockmont, our school has developed space, facility, and resource needs that were no longer able to be met in our space there. In order to fulfill the vision laid out in the school’s strategic plan, TLC made a decision to purchase a property. In May of 2019, this became a reality and TLC now owns 40 acres of beautiful Western NC forest and streams! Renovations on the existing dwellings will deliver our classroom and office space, with occupancy expected in the fall of 2020. Our Bee Tree Campus has ponds and streams and will have trails throughout, letting our students and community continue our active outdoor education on site. Further development of our campus will include the creation of an indoor, multi-purpose venue which can be used for performance arts, community gatherings, sports/PE, and future income-generating opportunities.
The Ask
Over the history of the school, our board has consistently focused on planning for the future of our children. Thus, our financial situation was very favorable for the initial purchase of a facility. In order to finance improvements to our new facility, including the building of a multi-purpose event space, funds in addition to our operating reserve are needed. In January of 2019, TLC launched Putting Down Roots, a capital campaign, for this purpose. This campaign is multiphasic.
Putting Down Roots Phase One
Phase One focused on fundraising to cover the down payment for the campus and the necessary costs of preparing the property’s existing structures for school use. Our Phase One goals were met by April of 2019; architects and contractors began work in the summer of 2019. Additional fire safety measures, increased road access, and modifications to the space for classroom and accessibility needs have all been performed. The campus will be ready for our 2020-2021 school year with Phase One renovations on track for completion in the summer of 2020.
Putting Down Roots Phase Two
Phase Two focuses on building our multi-purpose community space and campus trails/garden development. The building needs to have a winterized space for our all-school musical rehearsal space, performing arts, large community gatherings and a middle school regulation-sized basketball court. Our community is actively working on multi-use trails throughout the campus as well as landscape plans for pollinator gardens and protection of our wetlands. TLC’s fundraising goal for Phase Two is $500,000.
The Timeline
Spring 2019: Purchase of the property was completed
2019-2020 school year: Phase One renovations at the Bee Tree campus. TLC continues to operate at Camp Rockmont until renovations of the main classroom building are complete.
Fall 2019: Formalize building plans and cost estimates for Phase Two.
Spring 2020: Fundraising for Putting Down Roots Phase Two
August 2020: Begin the 25th school year for TLC on our own campus!
More Information
Interested in ongoing updates for TLC’s Putting Down Roots campaign? Sign up for our PDR eNews (pdr@thelearningcommunity.org)!
