Construction underway on Clay International Academy

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- SBCSC's Clay International Academy is undergoing major construction so it's ready to welcome its first class of students come August.

The academy will serve students in grades K-8.

$250,000 is being devoted to building new bathrooms since more students will be in the building.

The rest of the renovations for summer 2018 will bring the price tag up to $850,000.

Total construction on the academy will end up totaling $1.5 million.

“Oh my goodness, watching the construction from walls coming down to walls being erected overnight, it seems like...all of it is thrilling," said Clay International Academy's new principal, Angela Ruiz.

“We had to kind of reconfigure rooms for the smaller age children, so we’re creating three kindergarten rooms, these rooms here are getting larger...At the same time, we’re updating, getting carpet, hallway lighting, LED lights, new boards," said SBCSC's Director of Capital Projects, Mike Szymanski.

They're also installing a more secure entrance with a relocated entrance to the main office.

The academy will feature International Baccalaureate programs, which are designed to meet the needs of all students.

“The international aspect is simply raising our students to know what it’s like to be empathetic to people’s needs outside of our own, so to really give back to our community with community projects, give back to our community with personal projects that impact somebody outside of their world," said Principal Ruiz.

She says there are also major benefits to staying with students from kindergarten through eighth grade.

"The relationships that we can build, the continuum for nine years, strengthening those relationships, knowing students, knowing their families, knowing the communities in which they’re coming from," she said.

Some grades still have openings, so if you'd like to enroll your student, call the main office at 574-393-4300.