Construction projects at Drager Head Start expected to continue for several months

Brad Heineman, The Daily Telegram
·3 min read
The main entrance to the Drager Early Education Head Start Center in Adrian is pictured Friday afternoon.
The main entrance to the Drager Early Education Head Start Center in Adrian is pictured Friday afternoon.

ADRIAN — Several projects at Adrian Public Schools’ Drager Early Head Start Education Center and at the portable Head Start classroom in Hudson are ongoing.

It is anticipated the construction projects will continue for the next several months at least.

To address the continuation of the projects, the Adrian Board of Education approved transferring up to $100,000 from the general fund to the capital projects and technology fund for Head Start projects at its June 27 meeting. The school board will meet only once in July, on the fourth Monday of the month, July 25.

Projects that are ongoing include:

  • Remodel of Drager room No. 314, the former media center, to function as a multi-purpose training room, including an elevated presentation area and technology upgrades.

  • Remodel of Drager room No. 210, formerly used by the Boys & Girls Club of Lenawee, to meet requirements of a Head Start classroom, including the addition of a restroom and repainting.

  • Sealcoat and restripe of the Drager parking lot and repair broken concrete curbs.

  • Repairs and updates needed for the portable Head Start classroom at Hudson Elementary School, including flooring, kitchen and bathroom components and entry doors.

The board unanimously approved the transfer of funds for the construction work. President Beth Ferguson and trustee Rudy Flores were absent from the meeting. Vice president Jon Baucher served as acting president.

In other business

The Adrian Board of Education at its meeting also:

• Approved the list of goals assigned for Superintendent Nate Parker that are to be addressed during the 2022-23 school year. The goals and Parker’s progress will be evaluated at the conclusion of the 2022-23 school year. Goals will be paid out at a maximum of $10,800, and the superintendent is expected to provide a self-written evaluation with supporting evidence for the completion of each goal.

• Approved increasing the hourly pay rate of hall monitor Todd Bailey to $22 per hour for the 2022-23 school year. A retired military police officer, the board said Bailey has been a valuable asset to the district. Assistant superintendent Kathy Westfall called Bailey “a breath of fresh air.” Both the board’s finance and personnel committees reviewed and recommended the pay increase.

• Approved the district’s annual membership in the Michigan Association of School Boards and authorized the payment of membership dues. Dues are based on the district’s fall count, including adult education students. The 2022-23 membership fee will be $5,722.

• Approved the 2022 graduates from Adrian High School and Adrian Community Education Center. There were 162 graduates from the high school and 19 from the community education center, Baucher said. The graduates have met the district and state requirements to be eligible for graduation.

• Approved the final budget amendments for the 2021-22 school year and approved the proposed 2022-23 school year budget.

• Approved the resignations of Adrian High School special education teacher Kelly Bacus, effective June 15, and Head Start parent educator Kaylee Williams, effective June 30.

• Accepted several donations from community members. Jeff and Elizabeth Rising donated $1,210 to the Lincoln Elementary School drama club; the Wagley family donated $500 to the boys swimming team; and the Maples Fan Club donated $3,000 to the powerlifting program, $100 to girls tennis, $100 to boys tennis, $100 to girls soccer, $60 to softball, $235 to boys track and $235 to girls track.

• Reviewed the monthly Head Start report and discussed the district’s return-to-learn benchmark goals for the 2022-23 school year. According to Derrick Richards, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, the district’s educational goal is for 60% of kindergarten through eighth grade students to meet the growth goals from the fall semester to the spring semester, as measured by the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA). To achieve the goal, Richards said federal funding will be used and the district will increase its academic interventions for students not meeting grade expectations. Supports will also be provided to increase and promote attendance. 

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Projects at Drager Head Start expected to continue for several months