St. Monica Catholic School
Dallas, Texas
St. Monica Catholic School was founded when the parish was established in 1954 on a 10.8 acre site in northwest Dallas. Initial construction consisted of a school with the church meeting temporarily in the cafeteria. Rapid and consistent growth spurred the additions of more classroom buildings, gyms, a convent, a rectory and a permanent sanctuary.
In 2016, St. Monica Catholic Church engaged GFF to develop a comprehensive master plan accommodating the needs of both the church and the 900 student PK-8 school. It focused mainly on incorporating the Pre-K program into the body of the school, enclosing open corridors, improving campus security and accessibility, upgrading MEP systems and refreshing the appearance of the original school buildings.
A few years later, after a change in leadership and a fundraising assessment, the scope was narrowed. The resulting construction in the original wings of the school involved installing energy efficient windows, improving air distribution and lighting in the classrooms and corridors, making the restrooms accessible, installing ramps to connect various floor levels, securing the perimeter of the school with a combination of fences and secured gates and storefront entrances and, lastly, refreshing the interior finishes.
The renovation was accomplished mostly over the summer during the COVID 19 pandemic and the school opened in time for the Fall 2020 semester.