SCHOOL EXPANSION UNDER WAY

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- A $425,000 expansion to St. Vincent De Paul elementary school in Cape Girardeau began this week.

Six classrooms and a number of administrative offices will be added to the school, which has experienced substantial increases in enrollment.

Principal Carl Rosenquist said the school has 378 students, but projects a 1991-92 enrollment of about 440.

"In 1987 we had 340 students, so that's quite an increase," Rosenquist said. "We've just outgrown" the facilities, he said.

Rosenquist said the school is "growing from the bottom up," meaning most of the increase has been in primary grades. Administrative assistant Pat Litwicki said 55 students already are enrolled in next year's kindergarten class.

"For a private school where people are paying tuition, that is quite a lot," she said.

When the expansion is completed, the school, which includes grades kindergarten through eight, will have a maximum capacity for 540 students.

Money for the expansion was raised through a three-year fund-raising campaign that began last year. A fund-raising consulting firm from St. Louis, Cosgriff Co., was hired to run the campaign.

The second phase of the project is construction of a parish meeting hall. That project has been put on hold because the fund-raising campaign has fallen short of its $1 million goal.

Because of the shortfall, two of the new classrooms will be used as meeting rooms, said Rosenquist.

He explained that when classroom space is needed parish meeting rooms are used. In addition, two rooms in the basement of the former parish convent are being used as classrooms, he said.

"This expansion will bring everyone into one building," he said.

The expansion, which will add 7,380 square feet of space, is expected to be completed by mid- to late-August.

The last major expansion the parish underwent was construction of a parish center approximately 10 years ago, he said.

Because of the construction, Rosenquist said safety precautions have been taken.

"We've had to make some schedule changes and other arrangements," he said. "We have to ensure the safety, health and well-being of the students; that's our primary concern."

Rosenquist said the expansion is something school and parish officials have looked forward to for some time. It has been in the planning stages for more than two years.

"Looks like," said the principal, "it's finally going to happen."