Beyond the Threshold FAQs

Students study in one of the open areas designed for gathering in the Gateway Center on the middle school campus.

Financing & Fundraising for Capital Projects

What capital projects does this campaign support?

The recent construction of the Upper School STEM & Humanities Center (including Smith Hall), K Family Outdoor Commons and the Middle School Arts & World Languages Center and the Gateway Center represents the first half of the most ambitious campaign ever undertaken by Durham Academy. One construction phase remains to complete the Middle School transformation — the Gateway Center and a new gymnasium and Extended Day spaces — and it will be funded entirely by philanthropic giving.

Why did construction start before projects were fully funded?

We realized that Durham Academy had reached the limits of what was possible in its Middle and Upper School spaces. The learning environments did not allow for innovative programming and agile learning, which are essential to provide the 21st century skills students need to navigate an ever-changing future.

In our 2015 Strategic Plan, we committed to serve students more effectively than ever before. The need for the Upper School STEM & Humanities Center was so urgent that in April 2016 the Board of Trustees approved a construction and financing plan that allowed the school to start building ahead of a campaign. This financing plan combines leveraging debt with philanthropic giving and is the same approach used in 2000 to build the Preschool and Lower School. There is $23 million in bond financing committed for Beyond the Threshold.

We are invigorating our entire program by enhancing spaces for math, science, social sciences, humanities, arts and athletics to deliver an unmatched educational experience. DA has funded half of the cost of these ambitious projects and is relying on donor support to fund the other half. Our students and teachers deserve a collective effort to meet these pressing needs.

How is the campaign progressing?

Campus Reimagination and Transformation

What is the plan for the Middle School?

Master planning for the comprehensive Middle School renovation began in February 2017 with a series of workshops to include input from faculty, staff, parents and students. Master planning concluded in July 2017, with the final plan approved by the Board of Trustees in October 2017. Phases 3 through 5 of Beyond the Threshold involve a multiyear, campus-wide renovation of the Middle School.

Middle School construction began in summer 2019, with phases staged over five years. Each construction segment was prioritized by urgency, complexity and cost. The first phase of the Middle School campus renovation — the Arts & World Languages Center — was completed in Spring 2021, and the final phase is scheduled for completion in 2025.

Learn more about Middle School projects here.

Why did Durham Academy decide to keep the Middle School on Academy Road?

The Middle School is the first home Durham Academy ever constructed from the ground up. It represents an emotional and historical connection for the school. The Academy Road campus housed all DA students (grades pre-k through 10) from 1966 to 1973, when the Upper School was completed on Ridge Road. It continued to house the Preschool, Lower School and Middle School until 2002, when the current Preschool/Lower School was built on Ridge Road. Over time, the campus has been retrofitted to serve its changing student population.

One of the issues that generated a significant amount of research and discussion during the 2015 strategic planning process was whether DA should unite its divisions on the Ridge Road campus. Ultimately, several factors contributed to the decision to keep the Middle School on Academy Road.

Developmentally, there are advantages to being able to focus on a very specific age group at a very transitional time in children's lives — academically, socially, emotionally and physically.

Programmatically, the Middle School's location as its own oasis allows faculty to structure the entire school day around its age group with a great deal of flexibility.

Socially, students are able to enjoy freedom from the scrutiny of an older peer group and the security of an environment where they can grow up, gain confidence, take risks and lead.

There is no parcel of land that would rival the current Middle School’s 22 expansive acres, with an open campus that instills students with a sense of freedom and an outdoor learning environment that allows them to use their campus as a classroom.

The comprehensive renovation as part of Beyond the Threshold will reimagine Academy Road to support the best student experience imaginable, incorporating innovative ideas and best practices; creating a campus by design, not by default.

What are the Upper School features of Beyond the Threshold?

Beyond the Threshold prioritized the Upper School projects first. Our parents, students and faculty expect the highest caliber programming. The Upper School science, physics and primary classroom buildings represented the most immediate need — their outdated state, instructional space limitations and inflexible layout restricted programming.

The Upper School STEM & Humanities Center and the K Family Outdoor Commons represented phases 1 and 2 of Beyond the Threshold. The 44,000-square-foot STEM & Humanities Center, built in two phases and completed in April 2019, serves as a two-story academic hub for the Upper School — housing English, history, math, science (biology, chemistry, environmental science, physics) and robotics, with labs, a makerspace, flexible small-group student study/meeting rooms and shared departmental offices for faculty.

It also features Smith Hall, an assembly space with seating for approximately 125 that can accommodate an entire grade level meeting, guest speaker, presentation or special event.

The K Family Outdoor Commons serves as an outdoor gathering space with stepped seating and an open-air pavilion/performance space that opens up to the athletic fields, accentuating natural views of campus. Students can relax and enjoy an outdoor performance, eat lunch or gather as a team or advisory group.

The Upper School need was more urgent and construction could be completed in a much shorter time frame than the comprehensive renovation required at the Middle School.

Learn more about Upper School projects here.

Exterior shot of the STEM building on the Upper School Campus

Students socialize on the colorful red staircase in the Arts and World Languages Center on the Middle School Campus

The Role of the Durham Academy Fund in the Campaign

Why is the Durham Academy Fund important?

The Durham Academy Fund is an ongoing fundraising priority that assures students an unparalleled experience in academics, athletics, arts and all areas of pursuit. Student-teacher relationships are the heart of our school, and the DA Fund fuels every facet of the DA experience for every student and every faculty member, every day.

Each year, generous contributions to the DA Fund subsidize our program, filling the margin between tuition and the actual cost of educating our students. To deliver our promise of excellence, we ask our community to increase annual giving to better support operating expenses.

Gifts to the DA Fund provide the foundation for the capital projects we are building and will be counted in meeting the goals of the Beyond the Threshold campaign.

Why does Durham Academy need support above and beyond tuition?

The gap between tuition charged and the actual cost of educating a DA student each year is $2,274. The rest of the operating budget comes from philanthropy and a few other revenue sources. In 2020-2021, 89% of the school’s annual operating revenue came from tuition and fees. Auxiliary services such as summer camp and the school store brought in 5.5% of the revenue, endowment and other income brought in less than 2%, and DA Fund gifts represented 3.5% of the budget.

Can I direct my DA Fund gift to a specific area?

Should I give to both the Durham Academy Fund and capital projects?

Yes. We need our entire community to continue supporting immediate needs as we work together on capital projects that will benefit students and teachers far into the future.

Contributions to the DA Fund are an essential part of our annual operating budget, allowing us to meet rising costs while keeping tuition increases to a minimum. Giving beyond tuition provides a margin of excellence and allows families to take a tax deduction for part of their support of a DA education.

Support Beyond the Threshold

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All gifts to Durham Academy are tax deductible.

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