Two years after a fire destroyed Charlotte Preparatory School’s lower school building, students will start the new school year this week in a brand-new $13 million facility.
Officials at Charlotte Preparatory School cut the ribbon Saturday on its new lower school building, noting how the school community rebounded after adversity.
The June 2023 fire caused more than $2 million in damage and forced elementary students to relocate to modular classrooms. The school held a capital campaign that exceeded its goals, and the new 24,000-square-foot building is twice the size of the old one. Erica Glenn, whose 8-year-old son, Charlie Howell, attends the school, said it was a shock when the old school burned down.
“But from the time they started breaking ground on the new building, we’ve just been so excited, it’s been great to watch it go up and it’s been great to watch the community support the kids and everything going on here," Glenn said.
The new facility features 11 classrooms for kindergarten through fourth grade, a multipurpose dining hall that can double as a community event space, and collaborative workspaces for faculty. Students return to class for the new school year this Wednesday.
