Collegium Charter School (CCS) is thrilled to announce that construction on its new Performing Arts Center (PAC) is now complete!
On Friday, November 12th, CCS founders, employees, students, Board of Trustees members, and local dignitaries gathered to celebrate at a Ribbon Cutting and Dedication Ceremony. CCS’s PAC—the third-largest venue of its type in Chester County—has been in the works for years.
“The dream and vision for this space have been years in the making,” said Marita Barber, Collegium’s CEO. “It’s been two years and five days of actual construction since we broke ground. That finite process resulted in an awe-inspiring space that opens up infinite possibilities and opportunities for our students and the broader CCS Community. I’m just so pleased and proud to see this come to fruition!”
The theatre within the PAC is dedicated to the late Jeffrey W. Dean, CCS’s former Director of Technology and Board of Trustees President. “Jeffrey volunteered countless hours and his IT talent to CCS’s performing arts programs,” said Mrs. Monica Pica Dean. “He helped bring the first performance to the CCS stage through our traveling theater group, Bravo Youth Theater. CCS then asked Jeffrey to join its staff to teach and become its head of IT,” she continued.
Jefferey and Monica’s children, Austin, Alexander, Abigail, and Autumn, attended CCS and performed at the theatre dedication. Abigail, a 2019 CCS Graduate, reminisced, “Collegium was home to me for 13 years of my life. I still regularly return to work with the CCS After-School Care and Camp Collegium programs, even three years after my high school graduation.”
CCS’s new PAC features a professional-level theatre with over 600 permanent, padded seats; a dedicated stage; and new spaces for students to pursue their passions in music and performing arts, as well as master video production and online streaming. The PAC also has state-of-the-art technology, including a full fly system and theatrical devices for scenery and special effects options; sound and lighting systems; and more.
Bill Duffy, Collegium’s Director of Operations, oversaw the entire PAC construction process. “It was my honor to be the Owner Representative and Project Manager,” he said proudly. “It’s an even greater honor now to turn the completed space over to you, our students and community, for years of enjoyment.”
About Collegium Charter School Established in 1999, Collegium Charter School is a tuition-free, independent K-12 public charter school offering families a choice for their children’s elementary and secondary education. Enrollment is open to any student who resides in Pennsylvania. Most Collegium families reside in Chester County’s West Chester, Downingtown, and Coatesville Area School Districts. For more information, visit www.collegiumcharter.com.
Contact:
Mr. Sonny Lake
Communications Coordinator
Phone: 610-903-6364 (Direct)
Fax: 610-903-6365
Email: su.scc@ekals
