In 2023, a three-alarm fire destroyed the inside of Our Mother of Consolation Parish School in Chestnut Hill.
However, more than two years of fundraising, hard work, love, and resilience from its students and staff has helped the school get back on its feet, writes Kristen A. Graham for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The school recently celebrated its formal reopening for the first day of school after a $17.5 million renovation.
While the outside stone structure remains intact, the inside now features new technology, a music and art room, and a new cafeteria and kitchen that allows food to be prepared on site for the first time in its history.
“Sort of like the phoenix rising from the flames, we built something totally different,” said the Rev. John Fisher, pastor of Our Mother of Consolation. “The blessing of this is reimagining a whole new school.”
Prior to the fire, the nurse’s office was just a desk, while the ministry center was a former janitor’s closet.
Now, the rooms are far more colorful and spacious, featuring several modern amenities.
The classrooms now have modular desks, with collaborative spaces between the rooms for small-group work.
A lot of the renovations were simply not possible before the fire.
Read more about how Our Mother of Consolation has rebounded after a fire two years ago in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
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Editor’s Note: This post first appeared on PHILADELPHIA Today in September 2025.
