A major milestone for Father Vincent Capodanno High School was celebrated on Wednesday as community members, supporters, staff, and families gathered in Vass for the official ribbon-cutting and blessing of the school’s new campus.
The ceremony marked the opening of the school’s new 18-acre campus just outside of Vass on Highway 690, a project school leaders say has been years in the making. The new building includes six classrooms with capacity for up to 125 students, leaving room for continued growth in the coming years. The campus also features administrative offices, a lunchroom, a kitchen, and a gathering space that will serve as the school’s chapel.
“What a morning. What a campus,” said Director of Development Josh Raetz as he welcomed guests to the ceremony. “Today, we are here to officially open the doors of Father Vincent Capodanno High School.”
Raetz reflected on how far the school has come since breaking ground on the property nearly a year ago. What was once an agricultural field has now been transformed into a growing campus thanks to local partnerships, donors, volunteers, and supporters throughout the community.
“What you see in front of you is 3,000 square feet bigger than we had planned due to your generosity just in the last year,” Raetz said while thanking donors and community partners.
Founder and Board Chairman Mike Erwin shared the school’s beginnings, which started nearly a decade ago with just four ninth-grade students meeting in a small room above Saint Anthony of Padua Parish offices in Southern Pines.
“A group of parents with a bias for action came together, formed a team, rolled up their sleeves, and got to work,” Erwin said.
Erwin said the school was founded after local families realized there was no nearby Catholic high school option for students continuing their education after Saint John Paul II Catholic School in Southern Pines.
“Against all odds, but with unwavering faith and trust in God’s divine providence, Father Capodanno High refused to quit,” Erwin said.
Today, the school has moved from its former location in an old call center in Vass into a newly constructed campus designed for future growth.
Principal Joe Skillman called the new campus a “home” for students and families while looking ahead to the school’s future.
“This campus, designed to house our educational endeavors, will grow and develop,” Skillman said. “We have big plans and bigger dreams.”
Skillman also reminded those in attendance that while the buildings are important, the people inside are what truly make the school special.
“It is the love of neighbor, the care for each other, the relationships built and memories made, which make a home,” Skillman said. “Father Capodanno, welcome home.”
In August, the Class of 2027 will officially enter the halls and classrooms of the new campus for the first time. Those rising seniors were on hand during the ceremony, offering guided tours of the facility to guests and supporters.
The event also featured the campus’ first flag-raising, along with the official ribbon-cutting led by Skillman and school Director Francis Klautz.
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Curtis Self | Reporter
Article, photo and video by Sandhills Sentinel reporter Curtis Self. Curtis has been writing for Sandhills Sentinel since 2019.
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