HAMILTON - When scenes are designed for plays presented at Badin High School's Little Theater, they have to be simple and portable.

        That's because the theater is used during the school day for band, chorus and other classes. Space is at a premium and there's no room to store an elaborate or fragile backdrop that might have to be moved several times a day.

THE IMPROVEMENTS

Tier I, $1.5 million     • Renovate or refurbish four science labs, theater, library, classrooms.     • New multimedia center, repair/replace front steps, upgrade interior lighting, improve parking and traffic flow, improve drainage.     • Add advanced-placement courses, expand technology and increase professional development opportunities.     Tier II, $1.2 million     • Add classroom, practice and storage space for the performing arts, band and chorus.     • New or refurbished locker rooms.     • Weight room, meeting rooms, more storage space.     Tier III, $1.5 to $2.5 million     • Construct a competitive or auxiliary gym; refurbish existing gym.

        A $6 million fund-raising campaign launched this week — “The Right Place. The Right Time” — is expected to provide money needed to upgrade not only the theater but also science labs, the library and lighting. And depending on how much of the goal is met, the school could see a new gymnasium and dedicated rooms for music classes.

        It is only the second time in the school's 35-year history that it has launched a campaign to improve its facilities for the 715 students now enrolled in the Catholic high school. A similar campaign that ended in 1988 netted $1 million — $400,000 above the goal — used for boilers, roofs and similar improvements, said Principal Margaret Winkeljohn.

        “We can't go for a levy like the public schools. We can't raise tuition ($3,730) high enough to get the amount of money we need,” said Marysue Wright, the school's development director. ""So we go to the people whose lives we've touched.”

        An initial plea has already brought pledges of almost $1.5 million, enough for the first of three tiers of the project, Mrs. Winkeljohn said. It was gleaned from about 112 pledges from contacts with 800 people from the school's database of 10,000.

        The database includes community supporters as well as those who graduated from Badin or its predecessors — Hamilton Catholic for boys and Notre Dame for girls.

        The list of projects the money will pay for came after a group of more than 100 alumni, faculty, parents and others looked at the school and its needs.

        “Badin needs an upgrade,” said senior Steve Ellis, 17, who plays drums in the band. “The public schools around us have better facilities. We're falling behind.”

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