Newsletter - Vol. 2 issue 1

New Elementary School Holds Lots of Promise for Kalamazoo Public School Students

When you see Kalamazoo Public Schools’ plans for the new elementary school to be constructed on 9th Street between Stadium Drive and KL Avenue in Oshtemo Township, you can see it promises students all the facilities and resources needed for a rich, rewarding educational experience. Considering the fact that the Kalamazoo Promise also offers a future opportunity for a paid college education, the facility will hold lots of promise for all these young students.  

It’s been 40 years since a new elementary school has been constructed for Kalamazoo Public Schools and 30 years since the district has built any new schools. An $85.5 million bond issue passed by the district’s voters in 2006 changed all that, and among the district-wide improvements comes this new elementary school designed and engineered by Tower Pinkster, Kalamazoo, MI, with construction management by CSM Group, Galesburg, MI.

The new 84,500 square-foot school under construction will house pre-kindergarten through fifth-grade classes with a gymnasium, media center, and a cafeteria that will also provide space for community use in the evenings and weekends. Contractors Mechanical has been selected to construct HVAC systems, gas piping, and domestic water and sanitary piping systems totaling nearly $2 million for the new school. The school site plans also call for a main playground, a separate pre-kindergarten and kindergarten playground, and separate parent and school bus drop-off drives.

“It’s gratifying to be selected to work on this project. It’s always nice to work on high-profile projects within your own communities. We have a strong local presence in the area and we believe an astute understanding of local needs and resources. Nearly 60 percent of our staff and sub-contracted employees reside in Kalamazoo or Kalamazoo County,” says Contractors Mechanical Vice President, Mike Lozier. 

“Contractors Mechanical has been great to work with on site; as one of the key contractors on site their attitude for quality is welcomed.  From the beginning of the project they have offered value engineering on the mechanical system to provide a quality system at a reduced price to the owner.  There commitment to providing a quality product and service can be seen in their work and there continued suggestions for improving the implementation of the design,” says Shannon Sauer-Becker, CSM Group Project Manager.

New schools, district-wide school improvements, and rising enrollment at Kalamazoo Public Schools are getting national attention from educators, legislators, community groups, and others as they observe the transformation taking place and the implications the Kalamazoo Promise has had on the district. The Kalamazoo Promise, funded by anonymous donors, promises all Kalamazoo Public School students who attend and graduate from Kalamazoo Public Schools an opportunity to attend any public university or community college in Michigan, with up to 100% of their tuition paid. Since making the “Promise”, the district’s enrollment has jumped 10 percent, attracting new students from 30 states and 65 Michigan communities—not only promising a bright future for so many students, but for an entire community as well.