WAUPUN — Central Wisconsin Christian School (CWC) is expanding again.
Phase II of the school’s four-phase Diamond Legacy Campaign was launched in conjunction with a convocation on Aug. 22. More than 400 people attended.
The supporting constituency of the school, which is made up of parents and other supporters, approved the largest expansion plan in the school’s history in late April. The proposal was granted with a vote of 115-1.
Phase I, recently completed and currently occupied, was opened to teachers only 11 days ago. The space includes three classrooms for middle school students.
Phase II will include a 31,000-square-foot addition that includes a state-of-the-art AgProTech (Agriculture, Professional and Technical) Center, greenhouse, agriculture and technology classrooms, elementary classrooms and pre-kindergarten through 5th grade learning center. This will expand the capacity of the campus to up to 700 students, with a completion date of August 2023.
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CWC is a non-denominational Christian based pre-K through 12th grade school. It was begun 75 years ago in 1948. The school’s mission is to honor Christ as the center of all learning, which is what Gregg Zonnefeld, director of advancement, believes is its primary reason for growth.
“Our recent growth is largely based on a desire for a faith-based education, and to be part of a place where good, positive, things are happening,” said Zonnefeld. “We have a mission of preparing kids to glorify God and to serve in his world. We want families that are coming for that purpose and we’re seeing that now. We have 41 new families as part of our school this year, which is certainly an upward movement for us.”
“There are other factors as well, including the fact that people are shopping for education much more today than they were,” said CWC Administrator Mark Buteyn. “They’re looking at options and making choices based on what they believe is best for them and their families. A lot of people didn’t know we existed in the past and now the word is getting out about us.”
Enrollment has increased dramatically since COVID-19 appeared in 2020. The school began with a record enrollment of 430 this year after ending last year with 347. Phase I of the expansion is now completed and occupied. The first day of school for the 2022-2023 academic year was on Wednesday.
“We’ve had a real uptick in interest,” Zonnefeld said. “We needed immediate classrooms.”
The first Central Wisconsin Christian School was built on McKinley Street, where the new Waupun Senior Center will be built. A majority of it was moved to its current location, 301 Fox Lake Road, in 1958.
There have since been many updates to the building and fundraising is continuing for the new addition. A total of $8 million has been raised so far with an ultimate goal of $19 million.
“These are historic steps in the life of Central Wisconsin Christian,” Zonnefeld said. “The legacy vision is an all-encompassing expansion that will touch every student at CWC both now and for generations to come, expanding to meet the needs of students now and in the foreseeable future with Christ-centered education.”
The school will be going to two sections in every grade. The curriculum blends Biblical learning into its subjects and has students from over 50 churches enrolled from Waupun, Fond du Lac, Mayville, Beaver Dam, Ripon, Randolph and other communities in Dodge, Fond du Lac and Green Lake counties.
The addition now under construction will focus on program growth and is the largest part of the project. It will add 15,000 square feet for the AgProTech program on the west end of the high school and 15,000 square feet of elementary classroom space.
Phase III of the plan include new music classrooms and a fine arts performance/worship space.
Phase IV includes an athletic complex that would add a baseball stadium, track and entrance/concessions plaza. Completion dates depend on fundraising efforts.
Each project needs 70% of the cash and pledges to be committed in order to begin. Zonnefeld said the school has already surpassed the $8 million plateau to make Monday’s groundbreaking a reality. The public phase of fundraising is now underway.
The campus encompasses 30 acres after acquiring 10.5 acres last spring.
“It is humbling to see our school community united in their desire to move forward to carry out our mission, but also to recognize our complete dependence on God to do this together,” said Buteyn. “This is not just about next week or next year, this is about providing quality education to help prepare kids to make a difference in God’s kingdom for many years to come.”
Excel of Fond du Lac is the architect for the project and WDS Construction is the general contractor.
More information and floor plans for the campaign can be found at the school’s website at www.WeAreCWC.org.
