Volunteers to put finishing touches on Crown of Life school

By Chris Spangler

Volunteers from throughout the Midwest and beyond will gather in Fort Atkinson this spring to help finish construction of the new Crown of Life Christian Academy.

From April 19 to May 21, participants in the Kingdom Workers’ Builders for Christ program will be donating their time and talents to put the finishing touches on the 27,570-square-foot parochial school.

Crown of Life held a gathering at The Creamery 201 Sunday to update stakeholders on the construction project and announce Builders for Christ’s assistance.

Located at 1656 Montclair Place on Fort Atkinson’s northwest side, the school under construction consists of eight classrooms, a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) lab, a music and art classroom, a cafeteria, a library/media center, an administrative wing and a full-size high school gymnasium.

It is slated to be ready when classes start this fall. But before that can happen, there are a few more months of construction to complete.

Jim Bublitz, who serves as Builders for Christ project manager alongside Peter Behrens, reported Sunday that volunteers will be installing about 49 interior and exterior wood and steel doors and hardware on metal door frames being put in place by the general contractor. They also will install base and upper cabinets in classrooms and, if resources permit, place countertops and whiteboards, as well.

This will save Crown of Life about $50,000 in labor costs.

Builders for Christ

Bublitz explained that Builders for Christ is a volunteer organization through Kingdom Workers, a nonprofit based in Waukesha. Its volunteers include both retirees and working people who volunteer during vacation time. They are unpaid, use their own trucks and campers and pay their own way.

“Builders for Christ are volunteers. You do not have to know anything about building. We will teach you. We have positions for everybody. Every position that comes to work for us is important,” Bublitz said. 

They work from Tuesday through Saturday, starting at 7 a.m. with devotions. He shared that not only is there camaraderie from working with fellow church members, but there also is an opportunity to spend time with nonmembers and perhaps even spread the gospel. 

“We love what we do. Our first motto is ‘we love building churches and schools with our friends in faith of our Christ Jesus,’” Bublitz said. 

“It’s very important that we get a lot of help locally,” he added, noting that persons with special construction skills should let him know.

Volunteers must wear hard-sole shoes, preferably steel-toed; high-visibility shirts, which will be distributed by Builders for Christ; a hardhat; and, if desired, work gloves.

“One of the biggest things, though, when you come, is bring your Christian attitude. We love working together with you. There are other workers on that site, and sometimes we’ve gotten into discussions about the gospel and our savior. And if you do that, we’ll let you go off to the side and talk about Jesus Christ; that’s fine. That’s part of the job too,” Bublitz said. 

Thirty to 40 volunteers are needed and all skill levels are welcome. To volunteer, visit https://kingdomworkers.com/volunteer/service-opportunities/builders-for-christ-crown-of-life-wisconsin/.

Non-local volunteers will be camping at Pilgrim’s Progress Campground, which is opening early for the season to accommodate Builders for Christ.

Since its beginning in 1986, the Waukesha-based Kingdom Workers has spread the gospel by mobilizing Christians in locally sustainable mission work, addressing the physical and spiritual needs of communities worldwide. Its Builders For Christ program provides churches, schools, and ministries with a volunteer workforce to reduce labor costs so that they can focus on their core mission of connecting people to Christ.

Building update

Meanwhile, construction of the new school is two weeks ahead of schedule, John Kutz of Fort Atkinson, the general contractor with MSI, told attendees Sunday.

Crews currently are painting the school’s interior, and in a few weeks will start installing ceilings and mechanicals, Kutz said, noting that they hope to have all of the flooring down by the time Builders for Christ arrives.

Excavating for the gymnasium expansion will begin soon, he said. It will be a full high school-size gymnasium with two full middle-school sized basketball courts with retractable and adjustable hoops side to side, volleyball courts and bleachers with a 300-specctator capacity. 

Also, there will be an eighth-grade soccer field behind the gymnasium.

“We had so much extra material once we stripped that site back in May. There was almost two feet of topsoil on that field. You can’t build on topsoil, so we stripped it off and there is a huge pile right now, but that will turn into a really nice soccer field. That was kind of a bonus,” Kutz said. 

Construction plans include a Phase 2, which would add about another 10,000 square feet of space on the school. 

“You’re already starting to max out the school before we even turn the keys over to you, so the future expansion would allow for essentially five more full classrooms, which would give you (another) 125- to 150-student capacity, expand locker-room facilities for the gym, and (provide) additional office and teacher support space,” Kutz said.

Phase 1 includes all utility needs for future expansion, which would make Phase 2 more cost effective when that time comes, he said.

When Phase 2 is complete, Crown of Life will have a total 350- to 375-student capacity.

Kutz pointed out that MSI is a design/build contractor based in Oconomowoc.

“We don’t self-perform anything. We sub everything out. Almost 40% of the work on this job is coming from local contractors in Jefferson County,” he said. 

He added: “We’re looking at finishing up in June, giving the teachers a couple months to get in there and get set up for school.” 

He anticipated classes to begin in the fourth week of August.

Crown of Life growing

The new parochial school is a testament to Crown of Life Christian Academy’s swift growth.

It traces its roots trace back to September 2017, when the Bethany Lutheran Church congregation voted to open a new school on the existing Fort Atkinson church campus. 

Director of Development Sarah Moore said on Sunday that when the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod-affiliated school opened in 2018-19, there were 126 students. The following two school years saw enrollments of 146 and 165, respectively.

“Currently, we are at 195. Next year, we’re projected to be at 228,” Moore said. 

She noted that right now, Crown of Life is in the middle of a campaign to cover a five-year, $1.5 million pledge loan to help offset the $3.8 million construction loan.

Offering congratulations to those in attendance, she said that Crown of Life will start making payments on its $1.5 million loan Dec. 22, and “the first year is already locked and sealed in a safe. $500,000 has already been raised thanks to you, so give yourself a round of applause.”

Crown of Life is in the second year of the fundraising campaign, and Moore said the goal is to have the five-year loan paid off in three years.

“We’re at 33.3% of the way toward 100% of having that loan paid off and again, that’s five years, but I think we can do that in three,” she announced. 

Moore said that so far in 2022, about $50,000 has been received.

She reported that Crown of Life’s revenue streams to cover the annual budget of more than $1 million are solid and spread out. They include Bethany Lutheran Church, 16%; external donations, 7%; tuition, 16%; school choice, 28% last year; the Special Needs Scholarship Program, another state voucher program, 18%; extended care/preschool tuition and fees, 8%; and other subsidy, 7%.

“We have had over 400 giving units give to CLCA, whether that is an individual, a business or a family,” she said.

“I want to give a huge shout out to Bethany Lutheran Church. We would not be here in this room without the inspiration and commitment to starting this school and going through campaign No. 1 and now campaign No. 2,” Moore continued.

She said that businesses, community members, other churches, Crown of Life students’ families who attend different churches, foundations, grandparents, neighbors and fundraising efforts have supported the project.

“Multiple people believe in our mission statement,” she said. 

In closing the program, Moore shared what she believes makes Crown of Life different than other schools: “For me, it’s more than just the school. It’s the relationships that our teachers build with the students and you. It’s the social, emotional, mental and physical growth of each one of our scholars. 

“We very much pride ourselves on our partnership. We need to be in line with the families that we serve. These are the things that make the difference: it’s the kids, it’s the teachers, it’s the moments we worship together and pray together …”