Despite the less than perfect weather — cloudy and cool with a steady light rain — the students at Holy Family School in Albany assembled in the parking lot of their school May 21 and waited patiently for their turn to use the golden shovels lined up under a tent.
The students, along with their teachers and staff, were among those gathered to break ground on a major renovation project for the 115-year-old school. Built in 1910, the building has never had a major renovation but is still structurally sound. With input from builders and architects, the building committee decided to preserve and upgrade the existing building, instead of building a new one.
Former teachers, administrators and staff were invited to the groundbreaking ceremony and Benedictine Abbot Douglas Mullin of Saint John’s Abbey and Benedictine Prioress Karen Rose of Saint Benedict’s Monastery presided, representing the legacy of Benedictine involvement in the school.
“I describe it as 20 years of dreaming, five years of planning, and thousands of conversations,” said Benedictine Father Edward Vebulun, pastor of the Harvest of Hope Area Catholic Community, which includes Holy Family School. “It’s been really dreamed of and planned for a long time.”
Several issues will be addressed in the $8.6 million renovation, which includes everything from tuck pointing, upgrading the HVAC and plumbing systems and installing energy-efficient windows, to upgrading the kitchen an addition and more classrooms and restrooms.
“It was just all the momentum coming together,” Father Vebulun said. “And as usual, the big things like tuck pointing, the interior, the HVAC and the structural problems kind of started the movement, but then we thought, ‘we’re going to do this once, so let’s do it really well.’”
The ceremony was held on the 21st, even though work on the project hasn’t started yet, because the students needed to be included, Father Vebulun said.
“Just by being there they illustrate what this is about,” he added.
The work on the school, which serves students in preschool to fifth grade, will begin as early as June 8 and will be done in stages. It is expected to be completed by the end of summer 2026.
“This summer will be the exterior — tuck pointing and windows,” Father Vebulun said. “The addition will go up this fall with the interior work over the winter. The renovation of the existing building will happen incrementally with a blitz to complete it next summer.”
“It’s an amazing time to see the Catholic schools grow and flourish,” said Sara Smidt-Michaelson, superintendent of schools for the Diocese of St. Cloud, who attended the groundbreaking to show her support. “I’m so excited.”
Before the May 21 event, the capital campaign, “A Century of Excellence: A Future of Promise,” had raised $6.8 million in pledges, enough to complete the first phase of the two-phase project.
It was announced at the Mass before the groundbreaking that an anonymous donor had come forward earlier that morning with a $1 million matching contribution, making it possible to complete the entire project in one phase.
“That $1 million grant was a big surprise,” Father Vebulun said.
The ceremony included readings and petitions read by students in each grade. Abbot Mullin and Sister Rose then blessed the grounds and the existing building.
Former and current staff and teachers, Benedictine sisters and monks, building committee members and major donors were then called forward to scoop shovelfuls of dirt to symbolize breaking ground.
A little wet but still excited by the whole event, the students finally took their turn, enthusiastically turning over shovelfuls of dirt.
The celebration continued with a lunch in the parish hall.
“It was a fun and inspiring day,” Father Vebulun said.