CVCA Expansion Fundraising in Home Stretch

The Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy on Wyoga Lake Road has nearly reached its fundraising commitment goals for a major expansion of the school’s facilities.

Cuyahoga Falls City Council approved the school’s plans during its Feb. 28 council meeting. The next step would be to start breaking ground, said City Councilman Terry Mader (Ward 8).

CVCA Chief Financial Officer Jim Gaul said the school was near its fundraising commitment goal of about $5.2 million as part of the Tools for Transforming Tomorrow vision campaign.

“We still have some fundraising to do,” Gaul said, but he believes the plans would be on schedule for a June groundbreaking and about a year’s construction work, and the addition should be ready for the 2012-2013 school year.

Today, the school’s physical plant of nearly 125,000 square feet houses 43 classrooms, a library/learning resource center, five computer labs, a portable computer lab, six science labs, two gymnasiums and a 600-seat chapel/auditorium. The 70-acre campus also contains a track, baseball field, softball field, two soccer/football fields, tennis courts and a wrestling facility. The school was built in 1970, and in 1974 a Science and Fine Arts wing was completed. 

The nondenominational Christian academy draws 857 students in grades 7-12 from seven counties.

The building expansion and renovation will include eight new classrooms; a large, multi-purpose room primarily designated for fine arts; four academic department rooms/offices; four new locker rooms; a weight room; and wrestling room.  

Steady growth in enrollment has created a space crunch at CVCA, but leaders wanted to do more than add room with the addition of nearly 35,000 square feet.

“The building expansion is just one part of the vision,” said CVCA President Roger Taylor in a press release.  “Physical plant is ultimately just a ‘tool’ where talented teachers and innovative programs come together to accomplish our mission.”