By Christine Erntson, Director of Communication and Community Engagement
March 12, 2024 | 7:30 p.m.
PACT CHARTER SCHOOL HOSTS RIBBON-CUTTING CEREMONY FOR NEW SECONDARY CAMPUS
Ribbon-Cutting Marks Completion of $41 Million Expansion Project
Ramsey, Minnesota, March 12, 2024—On Monday, March 4, 2024, PACT Charter School celebrated its new Secondary Campus with a ribbon-cutting event that marked the completion of three years of meticulous planning and construction. Hundreds gathered to celebrate the occasion with a ceremony that included students, parents, staff, and local and state officials. Guest speakers included Senator Jim Abeler (R-Minn), a founder of PACT; Mayor Mark E. Kuzma, City of Ramsey; Ella Hemp, student and National Honor Society President; William Rosenthal, student and National Junior Honor Society President; Tom Schwartzbauer, Social Studies/Special Education Teacher of 25 years; and Romelle Pornschloegl, Executive Director of Secondary Education. The PACT band and choir performed, and PACT Student Council President Madison Whitby ‘24 cut the ribbon.
Romelle Pornschloegl, PACT’s Executive Director of Secondary Education, told the crowd, “As we gather to cut this ribbon, we do more than mark the opening of our doors. This act symbolizes a pledge to our community—a promise fulfilled. It represents the realization of a dream, a culmination of unwavering dedication and tireless effort from countless individuals who have contributed to its success.”
As a founder of PACT, Senator Jim Abeler was instrumental in creating a unique school model of parents partnering with teachers to be involved in decisions regarding their children’s education. In 1994, PACT opened in the refurbished Anoka Post Office as a K-7 school with 84 students. As PACT grew, they moved to Ramsey in 1994 and built a 72,000-square-foot building that educated nearly 700 students annually, with hundreds more on the waiting list established by an annual enrollment lottery. Deciding it was time to get students off the waiting list and into the classrooms, the PACT School Board of Directors took action in 2021. It retained the services of J.B. Vang Development Management Services to assist with the expansion project, Pope Design Group for architecture and design, and Rochon Corporation to manage the construction.
The new Secondary Campus offers an exciting growth opportunity that expands program offerings, builds extracurricular programs, and increases the school’s reach and reputation in the community. It is located at 7729 - 161st Avenue Northwest next to Central Park in Ramsey, just 4 miles from the Elementary Campus. This $41 million building project is poised to accommodate over 800 middle and high school students annually and is the only middle and high school in Ramsey.
With the completion of this state-of-the-art campus, students now have a dedicated space designed to meet their needs and aspirations. Featuring expansive classrooms, a library media center equipped with collaboration rooms, a woodshop, science labs, a Family and Consumer Science kitchen, small break-out rooms, a 330-seat auditorium, a band room, a weight room, and a gymnasium, this facility offers a comprehensive environment for their growth and development.
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Resources:
Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony Photo Gallery