Construction of a $10-million school campus for Trinity Christian School (TCS) is now underway on Deep Well Ranch Road just west of Prescott Regional Airport. The new campus ultimately will have multiple buildings and related educational facilities.
TCS Warrior Way Campus is the name for the 17.5-acre campus, and it is the result of more than 15 years of strategic planning and implementing of a $10-million capital campaign by leaders at TCS.
TCS board member Patt Parker said TCS is a private Christian school founded in 2003 by local parents who wanted their children to have a classical Christian education. It is the only K-12 classical Christian school in the Greater Prescott area and is one of 346 classical Christian schools in the nation.
Parker said student enrollment has grown annually, to the point of a waiting list. Since 2015, the current school has needed more space. Current school grounds are at 1077 Mogollon Road, just south of Willow Lake Road.
Because enrollment growth has been so intense these past few years, board members accelerated the school construction project. When complete, the new campus will accommodate 600 students ranging in age from pre-school through high school.
The TCS Warrior Way campus will include the following:
- Classroom building A: two story, 18,424 sq. ft.
- Gymnasium: 15,000 sq. ft.
- Cafeteria: 7,200 sq. ft.
- Administrative building: 3,000 sq. ft.
- Pre-school building: 5,000 sq. ft.
- Classroom building B: 16,760 sq. ft.
- Classroom building C, library and offices: 11,200 sq. ft.
- Soccer field and track
- Outdoor tennis and basketball courts
- Playground areas
- Large paved parking lot
Architectural plans for the project were created by Michael Taylor Architects, a Prescott-based firm.
School Designed to Serve 600 Students
Parker said Headmaster Kyle Maestri has long been insistent that student-teacher ratios remain reasonable and that class sizes never exceed 25 students.
When construction of a gym, a two-story classroom and administration spaces is complete, the expectation is that having two classes each for grades six through nine will permit addition of another 100 students, Maestri said. That will allow increased enrollment to 450 — about a 33% jump over current numbers.
In a written statement, Maestri said, “This allows two critical things to happen. One, we will fill out the kindergarten-to-fifth-grade classes completely, accommodating 225 students. Two, moving upper-grade students allows sale of our present high school building, releasing funds for the future building campaign.”
When final construction is complete, all school activities will be consolidated onto one campus. That final phase will see a fine arts auditorium and a pre-school, which is a new entry into educational curriculum for TCS.
Parker said curricular additions will accompany campus expansion, including Advanced Placement and honors classes, technology innovations and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, math).
Barring unexpected delays, TCS officials anticipate moving into some of the Warrior Way facilities by August 2021. All construction should be complete by late summer 2023.
More information is available at www.trinitychristianaz.com or by calling 928-445-6306.
Photo by Ray Newton
