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As the new Superintendent, I’m thrilled the community united in support of our children and the district’s long-term facilities needs through the bond passed in 2016. The Board of Education and Administration take this vote of confidence seriously and are working hard to maximize every public dollar.

To make these large construction projects a reality requires the dedication and expertise of a number of professional architects, construction managers, and building planners working in collaboration and cooperation with district and building administrators. We are fully focused on that effort.

As a reminder, in May, 2016, Comstock voters approved a $40,130,000 bond. To maximize the number of dollars available for construction, these dollars will be spent in three series over the course of nine years. The money must be spent for improvements and preservation of the district’s buildings and facilities. By issuing the bonds in three series, the overall interest costs are less than if the bonds were issued all at once.

To help ensure the best construction results possible, the Board of Education completed an exhaustive bid and interview process which resulted in the employment of two keys firms - GMB Architects and Miller Davis Construction.

GMB is a Michigan firm based in Grand Rapids with a local office in Holland. The company has over 50 years of experience and specializes in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, interior design, landscape architecture, civil engineering, structural engineering, and a full range of K-12 pre-bond marketing services.

GMB has over 100 employees in nine architectural disciplines. The role of these professionals is twofold - to provide the district with a master plan for the projects as well as to design specific locations for rooms, offices, entrances, and utilities. The architects continually meet with the administration to find out what the schools need and then engage in proposing specific designs that balance those needs with the monies available in the bond.

Miller Davis is a Kalamazoo firm with its office located conveniently downtown. The company was founded in 1909, and provides general contracting, construction management, and construction consulting services. These professionals work hand in hand with the architects and the school administration and oversee the actual construction projects. After the district finalizes the architectural designs and cost projections, Miller Davis hires the specialized construction companies that actually do the work - masons, electricians, plumbers, roofers, tilers, and a host of other companies.

Since our buildings are all older, federal regulations regarding lead and asbestos require abatement companies to remove the dangerous materials safely and properly. These costs are factored into the overall budget. Essentially, our counterparts at Miller Davis act as our advocates during construction and ensure that these varying companies work together collaboratively and complete their contractual obligations according to detailed specifications and required timelines.

I am pleased to announce that Phase I is now nearly complete. This phase included front office and secure entry renovations at all buildings, remodeled bathrooms across the district, and high school locker room rebuilds.

Both Phases II and III are currently in design discussions. While all buildings will experience improvements, the main focus of Phase II is on NEMS. It is fair to say that the school is being “gutted” and completely rebuilt from within. We are extremely excited by early designs and concepts.

As with Phase II, Phase III also touches all buildings but emphasis will be on redesigning the interior of the high school. It is important to note that through this bond, both NEMS and CHS will be completely air conditioned when the rebuilds are finished. For more details, see the district’s website. Also, we’ll be providing regular bond updates in each issue of the Communicator.

If you have any questions about our bond projects, feel free to contact me at your convenience. Call me at 269-250-8907 or by email at [email protected].
Posted by Jason Hall  On Dec 04, 2018 at 10:11 AM 167 Comments
  
Wednesday, July 11 The high school science department met at CHS for full days of planning on both July 11 and 12. The curriculum work focused on aligning the high school’s science curriculum with the Michigan Science Standards which are based on the Next Generation Science Standards at the national level. The teachers are working with a science curriculum consultant from the K-RESA and sent their minutes to both Gerielle Stewart and Dr. Thoenes for review and commentary. On this same day, Miller-Davis showed its “Safety Appreciation” of all of the bond construction workers by catering a lunch of pulled pork and slow roasted brisket. The luncheon was held at the high school cafeteria and was attended by over 70 workers as well as Faye Golder, Mark Peeters, Sean Gillette, and Dr. Thoenes. Monday, July 16 The NEMS design team met with Jeff Hoag and Ceci Kane of GMB for over two hours and discussed various aspects of the upcoming bond project. Attending on behalf of NEMS were David Kirksey, Interim Principal; Mark Peeters, Technology Director; Cindy Bloom, Social Studies; Shirley Gilland; Kim Lamp, Technology; Gretta Mungur, PE; and Mark Shenefield; Science. Tuesday, July 17 Shawn McMeekan hosted a 1st-grade curriculum design meeting in the Superintendent’s Conference Room. The group met all day to plan and revise curriculum for the upcoming year. Joining Shawn (L-R) Kate Appel, Jan Kiino and Wendy Shreve. Jill Ansel happened to pass by and photo bombed this picture. Thursday, July 19   Compass hosted a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Job Fair in the Boardroom. Attending the CNA Job Fair were 16 local vendors representing medical institutions both large and small from the greater Kalamazoo area. Importantly, 22 recently graduated CNA students attended and made critical contacts for future potential employment. Later that day, Justin Ansel toured me around the high school athletic facilities so I could see first hand both the progress currently being done on the facilities as well as areas for future need. Justin’s effective leadership regarding the vision for these facilities was clear to see even in the midst of the dust and construction materials! Tuesday, July 24 I found Shawn McMeekan again leading an all-day curriculum improvement session this time with the 2nd-grade teachers. Attending in support was Wendy Shreve as well as Sonya Hogan and Laurie Anderson. Later in the day, I came upon a meeting of a portion of the administrative team. Their purpose was to revise the District’s Student Handbook which is now ready for the upcoming 2018-19 school year. Thanks goes out to Susan Caswell, Green Meadow Elementary Principal; Jay Birchmeier, Compass Principal; Faye Goldner, Superintendent’s Executive Assistant; and Mark Wilke, North Elementary Principal for their effort and professionalism regarding this key school document. Wednesday, July 25 Five members of the Administrative Team participated in interviews for the open Special Education Teacher Consultant position recently posted. According to the team, we had a clear top choice and I look forward to meeting and finalizing the process in the coming days. Thanks to Mark Wilke, North Elementary Principal; David Kirksey, NEMS Interim Principal; Susan Caswell, Green Meadow Elementary Principal; and Gerielle Stewart, Comstock High School Principal. Eastern Service Area Special Education Director Janan Zimmerman is not pictured. Tuesday, July 31 Shawn McMeekan and Wendy Shreve were back at Central Office and again led an all-day curriculum improvement session this time with the 3rd-grade teachers. Accompanying Shawn and Wendy Shreve were (l-r) Katherine Jones and Stacy Costello. . Wednesday, August 1 NEMS design team met on Wednesday, August 1 with members of the GMB Architectural firm to discuss various aspects of the new interior for the school. This is part of Phase 2 of the bond project. When completed, NEMS will have a completely new look with enhanced educational opportunities for the students and staff. Wednesday, August 8 Shawn McMeekan was back at Central Office again to lead yet another all-day curriculum improvement session this time with the District’s Kindergarten teachers. Accompanying Shawn were (l-r) Sarah Lyster, Cathy Buscher, and Emmy Kimmer.. Wednesday, August 8 Attending a training on Project-Based Learning at K-RESA were a herd of Colts! Comstock presence at the training was well represented by Chris Chopp, STEM Principal; STEM teachers Patty Pobuda, MacKenzie Skalski, and Ann Swinehart; Comstock High teachers Wendy Miller and Colleen Grueter; NEMS teachers Chris Hopson, Liz Norton, and Alesia Walsh; North teachers Tara Storteboom, Meadow Nuyen, and Wendy Shreve; and Green Meadow teachers Amy Stacy, Karen Cleveland, and Dena Cooley. Wednesday, July 8 Dr. Thoenes joined Green Meadow Principal, Susan Caswell, and several other volunteers in reading to students who live in Pavilion. Using Title I funds, Principal Caswell had bags filled with books for the event. Students chose the book for the adult to read and afterwards received the book to keep and read at home - it was “a great day to be a Colt reader!” Thursday, August 9 The selection committee for the Staff Distinguished Service Award met today and reviewed the nominations for the annual award given out each year at the Back-to-School Breakfast. Participating on the committee this year were (l-r) Theresa DeYoung-Foster, parent; Jay Birchmeier, Compass Principal; Matt Schreiner, Board of Education Trustee; Mary Gustas, Executive Director of the Comstock Community Center; and Val Lauer, Comstock parent and former Board of Education member. Friday, August 10 “The Battle of the Buses!” This two-day annual event to generate school supplies for both Comstock and Parchment kicked off early in the morning on Friday. Showing their school spirit were hosts (l-r) Tracy Beville Smith, Comstock HS; Kathy Schindlbeck, Compass HS; Valeria McNutt, Green Meadow; Heather Horvath, NEMS; Dan Isaacs, Parchment; Jillaine Zonts, North; and Joyce Oliver, Manager of Pathway to Potential.
Posted by Jason Hall  On Sep 11, 2018 at 11:23 AM 44 Comments
  
Playground improvements are happening now at each of our elementary schools, and they are due to be completed by the start of the 2018-19 school year! Your kids are going to love the improvements!

Playground Improvements

Playground Improvements

Playground Improvements

playground Improvements

playground Improvements

playground Improvements

Posted by Jason Hall  On Aug 15, 2018 at 11:41 AM 43 Comments
  

At the March regular meeting, the Board of Education voted to move forward with the issuance of Series II of the 2016 Bond Issue. Originally, Series II was scheduled for issuance in the summer of 2019. Strong property value growth in the district has allowed the district to issue those bonds a year early.
The Board considered several factors in making the decision to accelerate issuing series II of the 2016 Bond. The factors included:

  • By issuing the bonds a year early, the Board could avoid any future interest rate hikes, potentially saving hundreds, if not millions, in interest costs.
  • By accelerating the construction schedule by at least a year, the district could save on the construction inflation costs. Currently, with the tight labor market and high demand for skilled trades, the inflation rate for construction is approximately 5-7 percent. The accelerated schedule could save the District between $500,000 and $700,000.
  • With this accelerated construction schedule, the students and community would receive the benefit of the construction projects a year earlier.

The major projects contained in Series II of the 2016 bond issue are:

  • Remodeling NEMS
  • High school site improvements
  • Elementary playground improvements
  • Paving improvements / replacements – throughout the district
  • Technology equipment
  • Other furniture, fixtures and equipment.

Planning for these projects is in process, and the Board will be presented with drawings at an upcoming meeting. The goal is to begin the bid process this summer.

The following is the status of Series I of the 2016 bond issue projects:

  • High school entrance – 4/24/18 scheduled completion date
  • NEMS entrance – Completed
  • North Elementary entrance – 3/20/18 scheduled completion date
  • Green Meadow Elementary entrance – 3/26/18 scheduled completion date
  • STEM Academy entrance – 6/13/18 scheduled construction timeline
  • Compass High School entrance – 6/11/18 scheduled completion date
  • High School Locker Rooms – 3/5/18 to 8/31/18 scheduled construction timeline
  • Restrooms, all buildings – 6/13/18 to 8/31/18 scheduled construction timeline

Overall, the construction projects are proceeding according to the planned schedule and budget. Please feel free to contact the superintendent if you have any questions at 269-250-8907 or [email protected].

Posted by Jason Hall  On Apr 04, 2018 at 12:24 PM 109 Comments
  

As we return from winter break, Green Meadow Elementary School will be under construction. In order for construction to take place, traffic flow will change and part of the building will be inaccessible.

Please note the following:

  • The front circle drive will be off limits except for bus traffic before/after school. Please use the parking lot and side entrance to the west of the school if you are visiting or picking up a child during the school day.
  • The main office will now be located in the library. All adults will enter the side of the building from the parking lot and go to the corner of the library to greet Mrs. Connor or Mrs. Watson.
  • Mrs. Caswell, Mrs. Boyce, Mr. McMeekan will now have offices in the library.The main entrance hallway from Mrs. McMurtrie’s room forward will be walled off and off limits
  • Drop off and pick up will be at the library. Parents will be expected to sign students in and get a pass at the beginning of the day. Pick up parents will get a pass in the library and wait in the gym as usual.
  • The bus loop will be used for construction offices and equipment. However, it WILL continue to be available for arrival and dismissal for BUS traffic only. Bus riders will be the only students who will use the door by Mrs. Lanings’s room before and after school. The door will be locked during all other times.

While this work will cause some difficulties, we are excited for the changes that will be made to enhance Green Meadow Elementary. The projected timeline for our project is from December, 2017 to March, 2018. We hope that the work will be able to be completed in the spring, and we will soon have secure entrances and an overall new feel at Green Meadow Elementary.

Posted by Jason Hall  On Jan 08, 2018 at 11:46 AM 61 Comments
  

This fall I have been thinking and reading a lot about failure. At Let Me Run practice last night we were talking with 5th and 6th grader boys about failure. Our words to live by were “failure is only failure if you fail to try again.” Each boy shared a time in their life that they failed, and then kept trying. We reflected on the season and how many of the boys couldn’t run continuously for a mile at the beginning of the season and tonight all but one of them ran a 5 K. We talked about how we can grow from failure, and the statement, “Fall down seven times get up eight.” As our conversation evolved at the end of practice, we talked about how we didn’t like the statement “Failure is not an option”  This quote is often attributed to Gene Kranz (foreground, back to camera), an Apollo 13 Flight Director.

https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_2073.html



Many of the boys were uneasy with the quote. We fail all the time. What do you mean failure is not an option. If Apollo 13 mission’s success was determined by exploring a crater on the moon, then the mission failed. But if the eventual success of the mission was not giving up on the three Astronauts caught in space then the mission was a huge success. Failure is an option, it is essential to eventual success if you don’t let it define you.


We need to embrace failure as a crucial element of learning. The CEO of the KIPP organization interviewed by the New York Times shares,  “Learning from failure leads to humility, adaptation, and resiliency; unfortunately, most students are taught to fear failure from a young age. To combat this trend, educators can emphasize having a growth mindset, encourage learning from past failures, and ask students to reflect regularly on, rather than ruminate over, failures.”


I recently read an article that I shared with the teachers at the STEM Academy, and on twitter. The article was entitled, “Forget The 10,000-Hour Rule; Edison, Bezos, & Zuckerberg Follow The 10,000-Experiment Rule” This article outlines the importance of experimentation, in success in life, and in business. “Deliberate experimentation is more important than deliberate practice in a rapidly changing world.” The same is true of growing up and education. When things don’t go as planned, great! What have we learned, how can we do things differently? Embracing failure as part of growing up, learning, and growing is a key to achieving at a high level. One of the boys in Let Me Run chose a mantra, "I can, I am, I will" and he said this as he ran his 5K last spring. This experience has stuck with me. When I completed my first 1/2 ironman, traveling 70.3 miles of swimming, biking and running, this summer I would say these words to myself. I wanted to complete the event, I wanted to also do it in less than 6 hours. 6 hours and 9 minutes later I crossed the finish line.



Posted by Chris Chopp  On Nov 15, 2017 at 9:48 AM 90 Comments
  
Here's a glimpse into what's going on behind the wall at Comstock High School. This clip comes from the latest episode of K-12 360 from the Public Media Network.

Posted by Jason Hall  On Nov 02, 2017 at 1:05 PM 61 Comments
  

Reading Rocks and 21 Day STEAM Challenge.


The STEM Academy is in the middle of our annual read-a-thon fundraiser. Students are reading on the weekend, and at recess to raise money for our natural playground that is sponsored by the parent teacher group. Thank you parent teacher group (PTG) for sponsoring the event, and supporting our school, teachers and students!


I am participating in the 21 day STEAM challenge with my family, and I want to encourage you to do the same. You can sign up for the challenge @ https://www.21daysteam.com/ It’s a great way of looking at the world and it’s also a set of building blocks for innovation and let’s not forget it’s a lot of fun! Why should you make sure that your family or your students have a healthy STEAM diet in their daily life?



Engagement in school and academic success is a partnership between the family and the school. At the STEM Academy we work hard to inspire students to love learning, and also exemplify that having grit and a growth mindset are as important as getting A’s and B’s or high test scores on standardized exams. You can support this with the STEAM challenge, and by participating in the read-a-thon with your child or teenager.


The parent teacher group meets the second Wednesday of every month in the STEM Lab and all are welcome. The next meeting is November 8th and you can like them on facebook @ www.facebook.com/comstock.STEM.PTG Last summer volunteers from the PTG constructed an outdoor classroom, a ¼ mile jogging and walking trail, and two gaga pits. If your child is gaga for gaga and you are wondering what is this all about watch this ABC story about gaga ball.


Posted by Chris Chopp  On Oct 20, 2017 at 10:29 AM 72 Comments
  

Comstock Public Schools Superintendent Todd Mora sits down with Public Media Network's Karen Woodworth to discuss the district's construction plans, literacy programs, and more.

Posted by Jason Hall  On Oct 05, 2017 at 2:56 PM 233 Comments
  
While construction will be occurring when students are in session, construction zones will be separate from school operations, and we’ll take all steps necessary to avoid any interaction with students. Our construction management company, Miller-Davis Company, has extensive experience renovating complex, occupied buildings, and has worked with many K-12 districts in Michigan. During Series 1 (beginning September 2017), construction will begin on creating secure entrances at our school buildings. When complete, these new secure entries will feature enhanced security for our students and staff. While construction on these main entries is in progress, we will direct students to enter via an alternate entry that will be clearly designated with signage. Construction zones will be separated from students and school operations with fire-rated barriers.
Posted by Jason Hall  On Jul 25, 2017 at 10:08 AM 93 Comments
  
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