Renderings of the new gym at St. John Catholic School, 1208 Kentucky St.

A student art show Thursday at St. John Catholic School may be a sign of things to come for the 60-year-old school. This is the first year the school has had a full-time arts program, and next year will bring additional changes.

“St. John is trying to carve a niche into the arts here,” said Samantha Romero, development director at the school. “It’s really where our focus is.”

Part of that effort involves a $3.3 million construction and renovation project at St. John school, 1208 Kentucky St. Additions will include a new gym and a performing arts and event center to support the school’s expanded visual and performing arts classes, Romero said.

Site plan for construction and renovations at St. John Catholic School, 1208 Kentucky St.

View from Kentucky Street of plans for renovations to parish offices at St. John Catholic School, 1208 Kentucky St.

Renderings of the new gym at St. John Catholic School, 1208 Kentucky St.

About 300 students in preschool through eighth grade attend St. John, and the school expanded arts education for all students this school year. In addition to regular art classes for younger students, the school now offers five advanced art electives per semester at the middle school level, such as textiles, printmaking and photography. As far as performing arts, students can participate in band, orchestra, vocal choir, hand bell choir and theater.

Previously, the part-time arts program that was offered was “more in line of crafts,” said Principal Patricia Newton.

“I think every organization looks for a niche, what makes it special,” Newton added. “And of course, obviously we’re Catholic, but our families really appreciate the visual arts, the performing arts, so we’ve really tried to work on that and really go with it.”

Newton said the shift toward providing better arts education began a couple of years ago. At that time, the school would hire a traveling artist to come in and do a project with the students, and several parents requested more art be included in the regular curriculum. As a result, the school ended up hiring one of the visiting artists to work full-time, Newton said.

The art show will put all forms of student art on display. The show includes work by students in preschool through eighth grade such as scarves, stationery, tiles and hand-painted pots, Romero said. Art sales will benefit the fundraising campaign for the new arts center.

The school and the church already have raised about $2.6 million for the project, and construction is set to begin in January, Romero said. Renovations will convert what is currently the school’s gym into the arts center. Plans for the center include a stage and seating, lighting and sound systems, catering kitchen and a permanent display area for student artwork.

New construction will include a full-sized gym at the corner of 12th and Kentucky streets, where a house owned by the church currently stands. The house was formerly the Sisters of Charity Convent, but Romero said it has been used exclusively for parish offices since the last nun recently retired. The house will be relocated alongside the existing parish offices on Vermont Street, and both will be renovated.

The art show is from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at the school, and is open to the public.