The Allegan Public Schools Board of Education, administrators, and other school staff joined with the Allegan community in late October to celebrate the groundbreaking of the district’s new elementary building.
“The aim of this new elementary school has always been to continue the legacy of providing a high quality education to all of our Allegan students,” Board of Education President Nathon Kelley said when he addressed the crowd. “I feel that we are going to exceed these expectations.”
Ceremony attendees were able to see the construction site firsthand, where ground clearing has already begun.
Superintendent James Antoine shared his excitement about how the building will improve the services that the district can provide for its students.
“If you think about things like social work, speech therapy, occupational therapy, psychological testing, Title I services, and at-risk programming, all of these folks right now are spread throughout the district,” Mr. Antoine said. “The amount of service that they are going to be able to provide our kids on one site is going to be phenomenal.” Mr. Antoine also spoke about how the building will bring educational equity for students with special needs, increase collaboration among teachers and parent groups, improve food service, and enhance school safety.
Mr. Antoine also cited the perceived competition between the existing elementary buildings, and shared his vision for having students grow up together as “all tigers.”
As the Allegan High School band played and the Tiger mascots mingled with the crowd, Mr. Antoine welcomed the Board of Education, school principals, members of the community, and those students who will benefit from the school’s construction to shovel a few scoops of dirt to ceremoniously kick off the building’s construction. “What this boils down to is why you’re all here,” Mr. Antoine said. “This is a community supporting their kids.”
“This would not have happened without all of you who supported this bond and the future of Allegan Public Schools,” he said.
Pictured above: APS students were invited to participate in the groundbreaking ceremony.