Agnes Irwin Starts Year School Year With New Building

With hundreds of eager students and staff looking on, Mary F. Seppala, head of school at Agnes Irwin, and Trustee Board Chair Ann Laupheimer Sonnenfeld, ’77, ceremonially cut a wide ceremoniously snipped a blue and yellow ribbon to kick off the new year — inside the school's brand new gymnasium.

Agnes Irwin School, located at Ithan Ave. and Conestoga Rd., began classes and cut the ribbon on the new building on Tuesday. Improvements included a main lobby with a floor-to-ceiling fireplace, expanded dining center, Innovation center for digital media and technology and 55,000-square-foot Athletic Center.

Outside the Athletic Center are four new tennis courts, resurfaced competitive playing fields — including a turf field — field hockey practice field and a new softball field.

“The opportunities we have been given are endless,” Upper School Student Body President Bridget Chakey said. “Whether you are rowing in the crew tanks, eating a fantastic meal in the new dining facility or scoring a goal out of the new turf, the results you’ll produce will be just as spectacular as this new building.”

Preliminary site work was done in summer of 2011 and the school's old gym was demolished in 2012. But it was the final phase of a 10-year campus plan.