Trinity High School set for renovation and expansion

Nov. 7—Plans to renovate and expand Trinity High School in Manchester are not only about updating the aging building, but also to "Pioneer" the future of Catholic education in the region.

The campaign by Catholic Schools of New Hampshire and the Diocese of Manchester to raise $5 million as part of a major gifts campaign plays off the school's nickname, Pioneers. Phase 1 of the project will cost between $21-$22 million, according to the project website.

The plans call for relocating the St. Joseph Regional Junior High School to the Trinity campus as part of the extensive renovation and expansion project. The schools will share resources, such as the auditorium, gymnasium and library, but each school will continue to have its own identity, according to project architects.

Planning for the project started in 2018 with school and diocese leaders launching "Catholic School Vision 2020" to renew and reinvigorate Catholic education across the state.

The project is more than updating the building, providing amenities and taking care of years of deferred maintenance, said Dave Thibault, Catholic schools superintendent, in a video on the project.

"All those things are important," he said. "It's about making sure that we have more and more students learning about Jesus Christ, knowing who they are in their identity as sons and daughters of God and knowing that they have an eternal destiny."

The expanded space will allow both schools to accommodate and increase enrollment.

The project needs several variances from the city's zoning board of adjustment, including building height and parking in the front and side lots. The board will hear the plans at 6 p.m. Thursday at City Hall.

The 19,000-square-foot addition includes varying building heights between one and four stories, according to the project application.

The Trinity High School building was built in 1950 prior to the adoption of the zoning ordinances. Much of the building is not handicap accessible.

The first phase of the project includes renovations to the high school, the new junior high addition as well as the main office, nurse's office, library, art wing and robotics wing. The main entrance will be relocated to the eastern side of the building and include a secure vestibule in accordance with Homeland Security policies and the parking lot will be reconfigured, according to the application.

To make the project work, a building on site — Alumni Hall — will be demolished. The high school academics will remain in the current building with new space created where offices and a chapel exist now.

The design will create an interior courtyard, which can be used by students and staff.

The junior high school, which includes grades 7 and 8, will be located in the new four-story addition. The school is currently located at the elementary school, Cardinal Lacroix Academy.

The expansion is needed in part because of increasing enrollment. The diocese saw a 2.3% increase in 2020 and a 6.2% increase in 2021, reversing a 15-plus year trend of year-over-year declining enrollment, according to the school website.

"Enrollment in Catholic schools in NH is up for a third straight year," said Alison Mueller, director of marketing, enrollment, and development. "Total enrollment is now at its highest level in more than a decade. Trinity High School also welcomed its largest freshman class in over a decade, and their enrollment currently sits at 358."

St. Joseph's has 106 students enrolled.

Phase 2 includes a gymnasium/auditorium and chapel.

A groundbreaking is set to take place next year, with St. Joseph students moving to the new space in the fall of 2024, Mueller said.

The entire project is expected to be completed by 2025.

The building will provide a safe and a carefully planned space for education and formation, said Bishop Peter Anthony Libasci.

"This project is all about making sure the present generation is prepared for its future," he said.