The first phase of an ambitious 10-year plan to expand the campus of an area private school is planned to commence this year.

After 14 years in operation, officials with the Sandhills Classical Christian School in Southern Pines say the school is moving to a new location to accommodate an "ever-growing" student body. The school plans two separate moves over the next decade in an effort to meet their expansion needs.

"Due to growth, we have used every inch of our current facility and need to relocate," said Principal Joanna Martin. "We have had to turn students away because the classrooms are not large enough to accommodate more."

School officials have entered into a five-year lease for the building at 387 W. Pennsylvania Ave. in South-ern Pines. The 10,400-square-foot space will allow for more students at a school that officials say has steadily grown by 20 percent in each of the last few years.

"In 2002 we had 35 students, and we're now at 130," Martin said. "It's been a steady progression, and signs are that we will continue to grow."

Martin said the school will be at its Pennsylvania Avenue location in time to start the 2013-2014 school year.

"This is exciting for the school," said Ted Thomas, a member of the school board who is leading a 10-year fundraising campaign. "The space is recently renovated, it's a bright and cheery location for our students, and it's a big leap toward our ultimate goal."

The long-range objective for the school is to acquire 15 acres on Airport Road in Southern Pines to accommodate a campus with four buildings, Thomas said. SCCS has a contract to purchase a parcel of land on Airport Road that will serve as its future home.

Thomas said that state-of-the-art science and computer labs, a chapel, a library, an assembly hall, a cafeteria, athletic fields, a gymnasium and classrooms that can hold 500 students will be included on the future site. The project is estimated to cost $6.75 million.

Another change for the school includes the planned addition of high school-level >classes. The school currently offers instruction for students in preschool through eighth grade.

"We plan to add ninth- grade classes beginning in our 2013-2014 school year, and will add an additional grade per year until we are a preschool through 12th grade classical school," Martin said. "We should be graduating our first class in 2017."

Martin said the curriculum includes "a strong phonics program, Latin studies beginning in third grade, and a logic class that teaches students to think critically and construct sound arguments."

The school also incorporates "a comprehensive study of the Bible throughout" as a part of their students' education, Martin said.

Classical Christian education emphasizes biblical teachings and incorporates a teaching model from the classical education movement known as the Trivium.

"Like all classical Christian schools, we focus on the three 'Trivium' subjects, grammar, reasoning and rhetoric," Martin said. "We believe the community has a need for a full college prep-aratory classical Christian high school, and our membership is now at the point that we know we can support this expansion."

Contributions of any amount are welcome, Thomas said. Contact him at (910) 215-6800 for more information.

Contact John Lentz at (910) 693-2479 or jlentz@thepilot. com.