Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School plans to start construction this month on a multi-million dollar renovation that will turn some existing classrooms into a new STEMM Center slated to open next school year.

STEMM stands for science, technology, engineering, math and medicine education. STEM education has become a major focus of today’s high-tech, high-skill global economy and there is growing emphasis on it in the Dayton area and across Ohio.

Chaminade Julienne officials, who plan a formal announcement on Jan. 9, said the center will support and enhance the school’s Project Lead the Way curriculum for engineering and biomedical sciences for which CJ was the first Catholic high school in the nation to earn dual certification. The four-year program gives students the opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school.

Tina Wagoner, communications coordinator for the high school at 505 S. Ludlow St., said more details about funding, including the total cost of the renovation project, will not be available until later because they are still being finalized.

The downtown high school, which serves about 635 students and draws families from more than 50 zip codes, was built more than 50 years ago. It is jointly owned and sponsored by the Marianists and the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur.