The toilets stank. Figuratively and, unfortunately, literally.
While an addition to St. Rose School in Longview had been built in 2007, the boys and girls elementary school bathrooms still had pieces of the original 1950s fixtures and the original flooring. Despite years of fixes and an “army of cleaners,” the faucets wouldn’t turn off, the toilets leaked, and the smell was utterly overpowering.
“The bathrooms needed a total makeover,” said Kristin Silva, principal of St. Rose. “Our goal is always to provide a healthy and safe environment where our students can thrive and renovating these bathrooms was a huge part of that.”
To meet this goal, St. Rose needed funding. They turned to Fulcrum and received a School Partnership Grant to gut the bathrooms and start from the ground up.
“We stripped everything and put in new floors, new toilets, and touchless fixtures. Our parent volunteers helped so much, including painting the bathrooms,” said Kristin. “It was a huge undertaking this summer, but it had to be tackled. We finished two days before school started.”
The school community was thrilled by the new, clean, and odorless restrooms. “The kids were so excited about it. These kinds of projects matter,” Kristin explained. “It matters when our families actually see projects around the school get completed. It’s so important not to overlook the little things. It can be difficult to be in an old building and not be in a big city. These kinds of projects ensure our kids are cared for and that they have everything they should.”
“We’re extremely lucky to have the Fulcrum Foundation and our parishioners who helped out,” Kristin said. “This has been a great start to the school year.”