FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 22, 2009

RENOVATIONS UNDERWAY FOR NEW CIS CAMPUS OPENING IN AUGUST

COLUMBIA, MO-When Columbia Independent School moves into the former Toastmaster building at 1801 North Stadium later this summer, it will open a new chapter in the school's 11-year history.

The school originally planned to build a new campus on Route K, just south of Rock Bridge Elementary School, according to John Thompson, chairman of the CIS Board of Trustees. But when the 62,000-square-foot Toastmaster building became available, board members saw a near-perfect fit for their growing school.

Walking through the construction site just north of Interstate 70, Thompson, who was the chief financial officer and executive vice president of Toastmaster, says he is gratified to see his old workplace taking on new life as a school building.

"Renovating an existing building just made more sense than starting from scratch," he said . "This move doubles the size of our campus and sets the stage for future growth."

CIS has a current enrollment of 212 students. The new building will accommodate almost 400 students, and plans are already on the drawing board for an annex building on the 8.8 acre site.

The $1.7 million construction contract to renovate the facility was awarded to locally owned Hercon Construction. Work began in April and, despite the tight schedule, general contractor Jeff Herigon says the building will be ready for school to begin this August .

"We're right on schedule," says Herigon. "Having an existing structure that's already under roof eliminated the usual springtime weather delays. The team effort going into this project, with information flowing among contractors, owner, and design professionals, helps us stay on track."

Demolition was job one, says Herigon. CIS parents invested sweat equity in the project, taking apart hundreds of office cubicles and pulling up thousands of square feet of carpet tiles to get the building ready for renovation. The volunteers filled 10 semi-trailers with the desks, filing cabinets, computers and office equipment that came with the building , much of which will be put to use by the school.

"The team effort of 60 to 80 staff, faculty, parents, students and former parent and student volunteers on each work day was something to see," said Thompson. "It got the CIS community even more excited about the new location."

Highlights of the project include:

· Spacious, light-filled classrooms

· Hallways and common areas illuminated by skylights

· State-of-the-art science labs, equipped with professional-grade equipment

· A 3,000-square-foot media center

· A 1,000-square-foot fitness center

· A 150-seat cafetorium

· Dedicated space for visual arts, performing arts, instrumental music and vocal music

"Having the lower, middle and upper schools together under one roof will be a major advantage for us," says Scott Gibson III, CIS Head of School. "It opens up all sorts of opportunities for collaboration. For example, teachers of all grade levels will be able to work together as we expand our Global Perspectives curriculum."

Kindergarten through third grade were housed in the Sacred Heart Education Building building on Waugh Street while grades four through twelve were located in Hickman Hall on the Stephens College campus.

Gibson, a 22-year intelligence officer who served as headmaster at private schools in Baltimore, Maryland, and Mobile, Alabama, prior to heading CIS says a high level of parent involvement sets CIS apart from other schools.

"It was extraordinary to see how parents rolled up their sleeves and went to work on the new building," Gibson said.

Small class sizes in all grades are another CIS advantage, said Gibson.   Junior Kindergarten will enroll 12 students and most Lower School classes enroll 14 to 16 students.   Middle and Upper School classes enroll 10 to 20 students.

"Our teachers really get to know the individual students. They identify their strengths and nurture their talents so they can help the students flourish," said Gibson. "There's real magic at this school. Now we have a facility in which these great kids can continue to bloom and grow."

New programs at CIS for the 2009-10 school year:

· Full-day Junior Kindergarten for four- and five-year-olds

· Two sections of second grade

· Extended-Day program from 3:15 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. that includes snack time, outdoor play time, academic enrichment, and help with homework

About Hercon Construction

Jeff Herigon founded Hercon Construction in 2002 and brings many years of experience and expertise in both residential and commercial construction to Hercon's construction projects. Hercon promises "Genuine respect for our clients, suppliers and employees is reflected in our craft." Weekly updates about the CIS construction project are available on the Hercon Construction web site at http://www.herconconstructioninc.com/cis.htm .

About Columbia Independent School

Columbia Independent School is a co-educational, college preparatory school that serves students in grades Junior Kindergarten through twelve. The school offers small class sizes, individualized attention, and 100% matriculation of its graduates to college. In addition to charging tuition that is well below that of the national average for independent schools, Columbia Independent School offers financial aid to qualifying families. Visit our web site at www.cislions.org for more details.

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