From SMART boards and a batting cage to a student athlete study center and new gym floors, Archbishop Stepinac High School is undergoing nearly $1 million in renovations.
“These refurbishments are symbolic about our commitment to the longevity of this institution,” said Paul Carty, principal of the Catholic college preparatory school for young men based in White Plains. “We are excited to be starting the new school year with a wealth of upgrades to offer to our students.”
According to Carty, some classrooms were already equipped with SMART boards and more are being installed. “They”™re electronic whiteboards that are interactive and literally allow your computer screen to become a blackboard,” he said. “The teacher can access a Web site and project it on the board, which acts like a touch screen.”The renovations also include a Student Athlete Study Center, which has new furnishings, seven computers and flat-screen televisions.
“We”™re really taking a proactive approach with the study center,” Carty said. “It gives student athletes a structured environment where they can be supervised by coaches for homework sessions before practice begins.”
The learning environment will assist student athletes who must commit a lot of time to their sport, Carty said. In addition to the study center, athletes can practice in the indoor batting cage designed for the baseball team.
“You get to hit more,” said Steven Martinez, an Archbishop Stepinac student and varsity baseball player. The new batting cage allows the baseball team to practice in good weather and bad.
In addition to the athletic refurbishments and SMART boards, parapets on the third floor of the school were redesigned and restored, and new windows were also installed.
The archdiocese is providing financing for the exterior improvements and Stepinac alumni donated the materials and some of the equipment and funds to finance the new study center and batting cages.
Carty said the construction should be complete by Nov. 1, while work on the exterior of the building is expected to continue throughout the year.
In regard to potential plans to further technological advancements, Carty said that “technology should enhance the classroom experience” and by utilizing the new school Web site, teachers can create their own pages and post assignments, as well as interact with parents.
“Our number one goal here is to provide a solid, Catholic, college preparatory education,” Carty said.
For information, visit www.stepinac.org.
