October 2017
Campaign Update and Construction Progress Report
Phase I Groundbreaking - THANK YOU!
The generosity and support of North Star families, supporting businesses, and generous individuals since this project was announced in 2016 culminated on October 11, 2017 with North Star breaking ground on Phase I of the new Sports Complex and Playground. Representation from North Star’s Board of Directors, Administration, and Development Committee (Parents, Teachers and Staff) were present for this momentous occasion. There was a genuine sentiment of gratitude and excitement as this project took its first steps into becoming a reality. Thank you!
From left to right: Christianne Crump, Jenna Balch, Bruce Dukelow, Katie Francis, Laiena Leatherman, Stephanie Young, Marcus Young, Katie McDaniel, Bill Russell, Joanna O’Donnell, Shay Davis, Melissa Andersen, Jon Gittings, Sheri Drain, Tyrel Whitt.
Construction Items Underway
These new additions will provide:
- Pour in Place surfacing! Due to your generosity, we will be able to replace the bark with the higher quality surface. We are so excited for the short and long term benefits this will provide!
- An additional playground slide and climbing structure to better accommodate the number of students we serve.
- A core fitness circuit that encourages strength conditioning for our PE classes, athletics and general recess use.
- Extended black top area for basketball, hopscotch and tetherball
- Fenced Sport Court for basketball, volleyball, pickle ball (Projected completion of this element spring 2018)
The kids love watching the progress!
New slide and climbing structure
Work also progresses after school hours and during breaks
Stewardship Corner
As recipients of your generous donations, we take seriously our role as stewards of your gifts. The complexity of the work being done in the Sports Complex and Playground project prevents us from going into much accounting detail here, but we can make this information available if you desire. Please contact Joanna O’Donnell jodonnell@northstarcharter.org or 208-939-9600 ext 406.
We are fortunate to have a construction management firm, Kreizenbeck Constructors, with the experience and relationships to secure subcontractors during an incredibly busy season in the Valley. We are even more fortunate to have parents on our Development Committee in the construction industry willing to use their own contacts and relationships to negotiate on our behalf to get the best pricing and the best product. Our original bid was reduced by $68,000 due to these negotiations! We are so grateful!!
Project Impact - From our Physical Education Department
"As most of you know, there is only one gym to facilitate North Star's PE classes K-12. Therefore, instructing is difficult with two classes at once and space becomes an issue. Now that the construction of Phase 1 has started, we will be able to take PE classes outside to utilize the new equipment. I can't express what difference this will mean to both PE instructors and students. This new addition will help build the PE program at North Star and give students the experiences that they deserve during PE. I am so excited to take advantage of the new addition! Thank you!"
Emily Parker, Elementary PE Teacher
“The time has come and ground has been broken! As a PE teacher here at North Star I am very excited for this new sports complex. The opportunity students will have during breaks and PE classes are endless. It is going to be so nice to go outside for PE instead of cramming 60 to 70 students in the gym! Most of the PE classes that I have are in the morning and it is always hit or miss whether or not the field is a mud hole or usable. With this new addition there will be no questions whether or not we can go outside. The students and I have been looking forward to this for the past two years since it was first introduced. The fitness stations and the sport court will both be utilized for high school PE and high school fitness. Thank you to all who donated to and supported Phase I of this project!”
Trevor Holladay, Secondary PE Teacher
"I’m excited to incorporate the new fitness stations into my Middle School PE classes. Students will be able to improve their core strength with various exercises from the pull-up bars; Knee ups, Knees-to-elbows, L-sits, Toes-to-Bar to name a few. Students will also improve upper body strength with pulling, climbing, hanging and swinging on the equipment."
Patrick Brown, Middle School PE Teacher
Development Committee Additions
We'd like to welcome Colleen Foss, Katie Francis and Rod Givens to the Development Committee and are excited for the additional expertise and support they bring!
North Star Development Committee Members: Lindsey Burnett, Christianne Crump, Colleen Foss, Katie Francis, Rod Givens, Blake Hansen, Laiena Leatherman, Katie McDaniel, Joanna O'Donnell, Tyrel Whitt, Marcus Young, Stephanie Young