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If contractors move at Patricia Karl’s speed, the Lawrence Family
Development Charter School will have its new addition in full
operation by the time classes start in September, 2006.
The Lawrence Family Development & Education Fund, Charter
School, located at 34 West Street, just took possession of the
former Saint Anne’s Convent, located at the corner of Haverhill
and West Street. This property also includes the former Haverhill
School.
“Back in 2004 when we found out that the convent and the school
was for sale, we made a pitch to the Archdiocese, but we didn’t
get it,” said LFDCS Executive Director, Patricia Karl. “We tried
again when we found out that a development group from Lawrence had
acquired the property with the intention of converting into
housing. We made an offer to them and this time we got it!” said
Karl with a big smile in her face.
Plans for the old convent includes, in the first floor, a large
reception area and offices and, very important, moving the Maria
del Pilar Center into the first floor, meaning that they will be
able to admit more adults to the ESL and Citizenship classes. “The
library, which by the way was left intact, will be a family
literacy library,” said Karl.
Upstairs, where bedrooms used to be, they will be turned into
classrooms by knocking a few walls and the space from the old
chapel will be used for a state-of-the-art Computer Lab.
The more modern structure behind the old convent will be converted
into 4 classrooms for 15 children each, with a ratio of one adult
per 7 students starting at age 4. “These children will receive
breakfast, lunch and teaching all at no cost for their parents,
for two years,” said Karl, who is convinced that one year of
kindergarten is not enough. “When they finally enter first grade,
the will be ready to fly,” she said.
The old Haverhill School, circa 1910, will see some changes, too.
A cafeteria and administrative offices are planned for the
basement. Grades 5th and 6th will take over the 1st floor. The
second floor plans include a Library, Art, Science, Computer
classes and Counseling. The third floor will house grades 7th and
8th.
According to Pat, the woodwork of both, the convent and the school
are in top shape, but the old heating system and the bathroom,
only one in the basement, needs to be replaced. Because of
regulations, both buildings require elevators, and that keeps
adding to the total cost estimated in $7.5 millions. That also
includes a new Gym.
“With the help of Mass Development, we secured a loan for $5.5
millions plus some money donated by parents and private donors we
figure that we will be $163,000 short, but that is nothing compare
to what we had accomplished,” said Karl
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