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One classroom at Dowling Catholic High School is equipped with wireless technology, a “smart” interactive whiteboard and a surround-sound audio system.

That room also has a student response system and a digital visual presenter. It’s the demonstration and model classroom for all of Dowling’s future rooms.

“With increasing enrollment, we are trying to right-size and update technology,” said Jerry Deegan, president of Dowling.

On April 5, Dowling broke ground for the renovation and expansion of its physical plant.

The total project is budgeted to cost $28 million, with $17 million allocated for the first phase of construction. Dowling has secured 83 percent of the $17 million so far.

“Bottom line, it is time for this renovation,” said Michele Whitty, development director for Dowling.

Phase one of the construction is broken down into four parts. The first part involves remodeling the library/media center and reducing the size to 6,000 square feet. The freed up space will be turned into three new business education classrooms and will house student services.

New construction is also part of the first portion of Phase 1: a new science wing, a new music shell and a new weight room shell and a new physical education classroom. The new construction is set to be completed in January 2009.

The second part includes remodeling of the west academic wing. The third portion includes remodeling the east academic wing. The final part will involve removing the temporary classrooms and finishing in January 2010.

When completed, the new and remodeled space will total almost 100,000 square feet.

Phase two is made up of projects that will be addressed as they are needed.

“We will find what makes sense for the next project that is going to come up,” Deegan said.

Many of the schools in Greater Des Moines are under, have been under or soon will be under construction, which has helped keep in perspective the financial amounts that Dowling is trying to raise.

“If Dowling was the only school in major construction, (the monetary amount) would seem pretty scary,” Whitty said. “Other schools are in the news spending the same amount of money.”