SANTA ANA : Expansion Proposed at Mater Dei High
Mater Dei High School, one of Orange County’s most prominent private schools, is hoping that an expansion will bring relief to its crowded campus.
The City Council will consider a request Monday for an expansion of the 17.8-acre West Edinger Avenue campus to 21.2 acres.
About 2,100 students now attend the school, said Tom Costanzo, director of development. To avoid future overcrowding, city officials and the school’s owner, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange County, will not allow enrollment to surpass 2,200.
Costanzo said fund-raising for the expansion will be done in phases. Total construction costs will probably exceed $12 million. The expansion will be done in six phases and take as long as 25 years, according to a city report.
To relieve overcrowding, Costanzo said, Mater Dei has added modular classrooms, and it serves student lunches in two shifts. Also, the school holds different pep rallies for different grade levels because it cannot fit the whole student body in the gym.
Renovations will almost triple the size of the gym to 24,000 square feet and add more than two dozen classrooms and science laboratories.
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