Squamish’s first private high school is well on its way to meeting its $150,000 fundraising goal, with approximately half the donations coming from south of the border.
On June 24, Coast Mountain Academy (CMA) launched an online Indiegogo campaign to raise money for the first phase of construction of its campus located adjacent to Quest University. Just over a month later the school has raised $120,888, the academy’s director of admission Colin Boguski said.
“One thing that is a pleasant surprise is how much traffic we have got from outside of Canada,” he said.
People from 30 countries have visited to the school, with approximately 1,400 of the more than 2,000 visits coming from the United States. It’s difficult to say whether that will translate into more foreign students attending the school when it opens for its second year this September, Boguski said. But it does reassure the academy’s backers that they’re moving in the right direction.
This school year the academy’s head count is anticipated to quadruple — from 15 pupils in the inaugural year to 60 youth for the 2014/2015 school year. By 2016, officials anticipate the roll call will include 120 names and the academy will offer its first Grade 12 class.
The fundraiser money will go toward the academy’s construction, Boguski said, noting its modern-style portables are scheduled to arrive this week.
“You can’t just up and build a $5 million school,” he said.
The academy’s staff have handed over all the school’s building permits to the District of Squamish and are waiting on council’s rubber stamp, Boguski said. Trade professionals are lined up to start construction as soon as the documents go through. It’s going to be close, Boguski said in regards to final approval.
“We are going to be open for business in September one way or another,” he said.
Last month, the academy hosted its official groundbreaking for the new 3-acre property. The school will place four modern-styled portables on the lot until academy officials start construction on the school’s future home.
Starting a school is not an easy undertaking, Coast Mountain’s founding board member David Greenfield told the Squamish Chief at the time.
“There really isn’t a secondary education independent school in the corridor,” he said, noting he saw an opportunity.
