St. Mary of the Woods Catholic Church has officially begun construction on a new, state-of-the-art campus that will house both St. Mary of the Woods Grade School and Trinity High School. The new facility will be located on a 10-acre site across Franklin Street from the current schools, offering a modern learning environment for students.
“Our current schools were built in the 1950s and 1960s and face mounting maintenance challenges,” said Rev. Brian Roby, pastor of St. Mary of the Woods Church. “In addition to these issues, we’ve been out of space for the last four years and have had a growing waiting list each year.”
Emily Hernandez, principal at the schools, emphasized the need for a larger, more adaptable building.
“We’ve reached the limits of our current facilities,” Hernandez said. “Times have changed, and we don’t have enough classrooms to accommodate class sizes within the current legal limits. There was a time when 54 first-grade students were packed into one room with one teacher. We’re committed to providing a better learning environment for our students.”
The new two-story building will feature separate entrances for SMWS and THS, with shared areas including a media center, cafeteria, and gymnasium. Roby noted that the building has been planned to serve current and future generations.
He said Phase 1 of the project, which will cost an estimated $11.2 million, includes constructing the entire building, with a focus on the full completion of the SMWS wing, administrative spaces, and common areas. Phase 2 will focus on completing the THS wing, auditorium, and additional gymnasium space, with an estimated cost of $5.7 million.
“Currently, we have $11.6 million in pledges, and nearly $6 million of that is already in hand,” Roby said. “The Diocese of Owensboro has granted permission for us to begin Phase 1, but we still need an additional $5.7 million to complete Phase 2.”
Construction on Phase 1 is set to start in early 2025, and completion is estimated to take 18 to 24 months.
Jill Payne, assistant principal of the grade school, highlighted how the new campus will better serve the needs of grade school students.
“We are incredibly grateful for the facility that served past generations, but it’s time to give our current and future students a space that meets today’s educational needs,” Payne said. “This new campus will allow us to offer a learning environment that supports academic growth, safety, and a sense of community — everything we want to instill in our students from an early age.”
Hernandez shared her appreciation for the forward-thinking approach to education that has driven this project.
“Our world has evolved, and our facilities need to reflect that,” Hernandez said. “We’re grateful to those who provided for my generation’s education, and now it’s our turn to build something that future generations can be proud of.”
Architectural plans for the new campus include multiple modernizations that address the school’s growing student body and specialized programming needs. These improvements include an expanded media center, a practice space for choir and band, and a Black Box Theatre for the drama program.
Hernandez added that the preschool classrooms are designed to meet 21st-century learning standards, providing a space that the 1950s- and 1960s-era buildings lacked.
Nathan West, assistant principal at the high school, said the facility’s site plan also includes outdoor spaces such as playgrounds for SMWS, a greenhouse for the new National FFA Organization program, and designated areas for community gatherings.
“Our students need an environment that supports their academic and extracurricular activities,” West said. “This includes not just updated classrooms but also specialized rooms like a new science lab and a dedicated FFA meeting space, both of which our current building cannot adequately provide.”
Hernandez highlighted the need for additional gym space to alleviate scheduling conflicts for athletics and other activities.
“Our existing facilities simply aren’t enough for the range of programs we offer,” she said. “The new gym will allow our sports teams, physical education classes, and community events to have dedicated spaces. Many of these upgrades would already be standard in other schools, but we’re working to make this a reality here.”
Roby expressed his gratitude for the community’s support in bringing this project to life.
“Our community and parish have rallied behind this project,” he said. “We are grateful for the support and are excited to provide a new space that will have a lasting impact on the children and families of our parish and beyond.”
Click here to learn more about the new facilities and the church’s capital campaign.
“We’re asking for financial support to help make Phase 2 a reality,” Roby said. “There are few things we could ever do as a parish that would have a more eternal impact on the Kingdom of God than giving our children — as well as the children, youth, and families of our future — a new school within which to grow and develop into productive and faithful Catholic citizens.”
