MKA Dedicates New Spaces in Final Phase of Middle School Renovations

(Photo: Phil Cantor)

Less than a year after the Montclair Kimberley Academy Board of Trustees approved plans to totally renovate the Middle School Dining Hall and create a new, flexible meeting space for students, faculty, administration and parents, a formal ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony was held on Saturday, October 13, 2012, prior to the annual Gift Club Reception that recognizes donors to the Annual Fund with gifts of $1000 and above.

In front of an audience that included President of the Board Michael Johnson, Headmaster Thomas Nammack, Head of Middle School Dr. Randy Kleinman and trustees and donors, the Middle School Dining Hall and the James and Louise Higgins Common Room (named to honor current parent, trustee and lead donor Tracy Higgins’s parents) were officially opened.

Tom Nammack reflected on the decisions that the Board and Administration had made following the 2006-07 Strategic Planning process to work toward creating a common look for MKA’s school buildings and facilities, with an emphasis on transforming current spaces into attractive, enduring and versatile facilities. Standing in the finished Dining Hall, he quoted William Morris, "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful."

“These spaces impact the lives of every Middle School student today and will continue to do so for generations of Middle Schoolers to come.” Commented Dr. Randy Kleinman, in thanking the donors. He went on to describe the “social learning that takes place each day in the Dining Hall, thanks to the new, varied seating arrangements, the enhanced service capability that helps to provide better food, and an atmosphere that instills pride in the students.”

The completion of these projects represents the final stage in the total renovation of the Penick Center at the Middle School – the Auditorium and Lobby having been refurbished in 2010. “All the components of the Penick Center are learning spaces,” noted Kleinman, “most of which each and every student uses in some way every day. The impact these spaces have on positive school climate and everyone in our community just can’t be over-estimated and we are so proud to have such an impressive, functional and transformative gateway to MKA.”

Prior to cutting the ribbon to officially dedicate the newly completed spaces, Michael Johnson thanked leadership benefactors for their vision and commitment in helping to bring these projects to fruition. “This renovation of the Penick Center will serve as a clear statement about the power of philanthropy to transform student life here at MKA. What you have accomplished here will set the tone and standard for all that is to come.”

All these Middle School renovations were “made possible by gifts of unprecedented generosity to MKA,” noted Nammack To date, MKA has received pledge commitments of over $4 million for these projects, and over $13 million in annual, capital and endowment gifts over the past few years. These gifts include three anonymous commitments each of $1 million dollars or more, and multiple gifts of $500,000, $250,000 and $100,000 in support of MKA's Strategic Plan to raise endowment and improve campus facilities to enhance teaching and learning. Future ambitious capital projects include the transformation of the Upper and Middle School Libraries into academic and technological hubs of learning, enhanced athletic facilities and a totally renovated and expanded Primary School campus. For more information, contact Director of Development Geoff Branigan at gbranigan@mka.org.