Frequently Asked Questions
With an undertaking of this scale, questions about purpose, timing, and stewardship are natural. Below you will find answers to the questions we anticipate. If you would like additional information or prefer a personal conversation, the Advancement Office is available to assist you. Feel free to reach us at youholdthekey@duchesne.org.
What is the You Hold the Key Campaign?
Through You Hold the Key, Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart is raising $58 million to secure the school’s future on Memorial Drive and to continue investing responsibly in our existing campus.
$52 million is dedicated to securing the neighboring property directly west of campus.
Of this, $50 million represents the purchase price of the land itself. The remaining $2 million covers essential ancillary costs required to complete and support the acquisition responsibly. These include capital campaign expense, legal fees, inspections, surveys, site testing and evaluation, and initial operating costs associated with the apartment property.
Securing this land expands Duchesne’s campus by nearly eight acres and provides the long-term stability needed for thoughtful, mission-driven planning. After decades of inquiry, this rare opportunity has become available.
An additional $6 million will support continued, program-driven improvements to the current campus across Lower, Middle, and Upper School, directly benefiting students today and for years to come.
Why is securing the land such an important priority now?
For decades, Duchesne has operated within the constraints of a limited campus footprint following the extension of Chimney Rock. While the school has continued to grow and thrive, long-range planning has been shaped by uncertainty around available space.
The adjacent Memorial Drive property has historically not been for sale, despite repeated inquiries from the Religious of the Sacred Heart and former Heads of School. In 2025, that changed. This opportunity is both rare and time-bound.
Securing the land now allows Duchesne to plan with clarity rather than constraint. It creates the foundation for aligning space with program needs, supporting students at every stage of development, and ensuring that future decisions are guided by mission and discernment rather than urgency or limitation.
How will the $6 million for campus improvements be used?
The $6 million allocated for campus improvements supports continued investment in Duchesne’s existing facilities, benefiting students across all divisions.
Since 2014, Duchesne has made strategic, program-driven enhancements, including the Lower School Learning Center, Middle and Upper School testing centers, and athletic facility renovations. This campaign builds on that momentum.
Planned improvements identified by the Campus Master Planning Committee include:
- Lower School: updated classrooms and improved playground spaces
- Middle School: new science labs, upgraded STEM technology, a centralized community space, and right-sized classrooms
- Upper School: reconfigured classrooms to strengthen access to college advising, counseling, and key community spaces
These investments ensure that Duchesne continues to steward its campus responsibly while supporting the daily experience of students today.
How will Duchesne ensure funds are used responsibly?
All funds raised through You Hold the Key are designated and restricted according to their stated purpose. Land acquisition and campus improvement funds are tracked separately and overseen through established governance structures.
Duchesne’s Board of Trustees, in partnership with school leadership and the Society of the Sacred Heart, provides financial oversight to ensure that all decisions align with the school’s mission, the Goals and Criteria of Sacred Heart Schools, and long-term sustainability.
This campaign does not presume specific future construction projects. Instead, it prioritizes securing the land and maintaining existing facilities so that future planning can proceed thoughtfully, transparently, and in consultation with the community.
What happens if Duchesne does not reach the campaign goal by April?
The land opportunity that anchors You Hold the Key is time-bound. Reaching the campaign goal by April is essential to securing the property.
If the goal is not met, Duchesne risks losing the opportunity to acquire the land and the stability it provides for long-term planning. While the school would continue to steward its existing campus responsibly, the ability to align space with future program needs would remain constrained.
This urgency is not about expansion for its own sake. It reflects the reality of a rare opportunity and the importance of acting decisively when the mission calls for it.
How does this campaign reflect Sacred Heart values?
You Hold the Key is rooted in the Sacred Heart commitment to formation, stewardship, and thoughtful discernment.
The campaign prioritizes stability over spectacle, planning over immediacy, and mission over momentum. Securing the land honors decades of prayer and vision from the Religious of the Sacred Heart, while continued investment in the existing campus reflects responsibility to students today.
Every decision connected to this effort is guided by one central question: What best serves the formation of girls, now and for generations to come?