CES completing facelift before school starts, more upgrades planned

The last day of the 2022-2023 year at Coast Episcopal School (CES) in Long Beach was more hectic than usual.  Not only were students and teachers packing up to prepare for summer break, it was “all hands on deck” as the school’s main building, which houses transitional kindergarten through sixth grade, was emptied in anticipation of the independent school’s first major renovation in fifty years. 

“When our students, faculty and staff begin school this coming August, they’ll walk into a new entry and be greeted with the comfort provided by a new central HVAC system,” said Head of School Jake Winter. “Every classroom will be freshly painted, all ceilings will boast new acoustic tiles and new lights will shine throughout the building.  The school’s original lockers will be replaced with updated cubbies designed to store student personal belongings efficiently and add to the aesthetics of the building’s hallways.” 

Winter explained that, in addition to the work done this summer, the first step of the renovation took place in the spring of 2023, when a new phone system was installed that provides instant communication with each classroom and all of the school’s seven buildings.

Conversations about the need for infrastructure improvements began two years ago, according to Winter.  He recommended to the CES Board of Directors that an architectural firm be hired to create a master plan to identify and prioritize the wide range of improvements needed.  Upon the Board’s approval, Watters Architecture of Pass Christian spent months reviewing faculty and staff surveys about usability and needs before creating the three-year renovation plan.

“After digging into the campus’ fifty-year history in Long Beach, comparing that to the faculty and staff surveys and our own observations of today’s campus, we made a tough recommendation that the most critical investment was to update the spaces that already exist,” said principal architect Leah Watters. “The main building has been largely untouched for decades, and the Board and Administration have made a bold decision to invest in the existing infrastructure.”

“We are excited by the support of our community for these efforts to improve CES for future generations,” Burnett said. “The work this summer is just the beginning, and we are looking forward to sharing our vision and plans with even more CES friends and family over the coming months.”

The work currently being completed at CES is the first phase of a $2.5 million, three-year plan that, at its conclusion, will result in a contemporary and cohesive look that uses unifying elements on the exteriors of the main building, Gail Keenan Art Center and Seemann Makerspace.  Windows throughout the campus buildings will be replaced, a bathroom and water fountain will be added to the school’s expansive playground, and the Toddler Town and preschool buildings will have revamped parking, including ADA spaces.  New landscaping and wayfinding signage will be added around the campus grounds.

Crane Builders of Waveland is serving as the general contractor for the project’s first phase. 

CES Board President Casey Funderburk is equally enthused about the school’s renovations.  “The Coast Episcopal School Board is excited to support the much-needed renovations to the existing elementary school building,” said CES Board President Casey Funderburk. “As the first of many exciting changes coming to CES, this initial phase of the capital campaign marks an important milestone for the growth and development of our children and the school. As our fundraising efforts continue, we hope the community will continue to support our growth as we move toward exciting new additions to the CES footprint.”

For information about CED, call 228-452-9442.