HUNTERSVILLE — Christ the King High School is in the final design phases of a 17,000-square-foot, $12 million expansion project set to break ground later this year.
“It’s going to be bigger and better, and we can’t wait!” Principal Mark Tolcher said.
Sketches show the remodel will expand the school’s footprint from the current 65,000 square feet to 82,000. The additional space is essential to support projected student enrollment numbers and accommodate growing programs.
Completion of the project is estimated to take 12-18 months. Hopes are to open the new wing in the fall of 2026.
The school, which launched in 2011, is now home to 435 students, but the expansion will increase capacity to 600. Projections indicate increased registration in upcoming years.
The building extension will add a new entry point to the gym and a north lobby equipped with concession stands, ticketing booths and a Crusaders Spirit Store for the school’s athletics, band, musical and theatrical events.
Other perks include an expanded weight training area, a chorus and band studio, two additional classrooms and an industrial design workspace.
“The industrial design area is where the design concepts of students can be brought to life through woodshop and glasswork activities,” said the school’s president, Dr. Carl Semmler.
Tolcher says despite various scheduling approaches, the existing 170-seat lunchroom stays at maximum occupancy.
The remodel combats this by adding a 250-seat cafeteria and 50 seats in an outside eatery.
The new wing will connect to the back side of the gym.
“Only one row of parking spaces will be lost. However, about 40 percent of the upper lot will temporarily be used as a construction staging area,” Semmler explains.
Plans include reconfiguring several classrooms, educational spaces and the existing cafeteria into five additional classrooms, five more office spaces and a larger student health center.
Little Diversified Architectural Consulting Firm, the civil engineers used for all of the school’s past construction projects, is architect. Barringer Construction will oversee construction. Both are local businesses.
— Lisa Geraci
CHARLOTTE — The Foundation of the Diocese of Charlotte manages 92 endowments that generate income to directly aid Catholic schools and their students.
Since 1994, more than $5.5 million has been distributed from these endowments to directly benefit schools and students.
“We are grateful for those individuals and schools who have established endowments in the diocesan foundation for our 20 Catholic schools,” said Jim Kelley, diocesan development director.
”We are hopeful that more alumni, grandparents, past parents, current parents and friends of our Catholic schools will establish endowments – either now or in their estate plan.”
Established in 1994, the foundation offers a way for people and organizations to provide long-term financial stability for the diocese and its ministries.
An endowment is a permanent fund, the principal of which is invested – not spent – that generates income to help pay for projects and programs specified by the donor.
Endowments are tax deductible and help sustain the strength and viability of the diocese and its entities, paying for capital improvements, charitable outreach, education and parish operations.
The foundation makes available annually 5 percent of an endowment’s value (averaged over three years). It reports to endowment holders every quarter outlining the latest value and how much is available for distribution for its prescribed purpose – which can be very specific or more general, giving recipients the leeway to decide how the funding can help them most.
“The benefit of an endowment is that its principal continues to grow while at the same time generating an increasing amount of income for a school or ministry or parish,” said Kelley.
View the full list of education endowments on the diocese’s website, www.charlottediocese.org.
You can establish an endowment in the Diocese of Charlotte Foundation by leaving a bequest in a will, a beneficiary designation from a retirement plan, a trust or annuity, or a gift of real estate, life insurance, cash or securities. For details, contact Gina Rhodes at 704-370-3364 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..