By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
District voters on Nov. 12, 2001, approved construction of a $23.7 million facility, retiring Central.
Mike Kounelis, Michigan regional manager for the Skillman Corp., which managed construction, said the building for seventh and eighth graders on Riverside Drive represents more than 200,000 man hours and 21 prime contractors from Michigan, Indiana and Ohio.
It's true that outstanding teachers are the equal of a second-rate facility. "That was certainly proved at Central Middle School," Lyons said. "This school system and this community care about their children and the education of those children. This community cares enough to build one of the finest facilities of its kind anywhere.
In 1996, when four architectural firms were interviewed, 1972 DUHS graduate J. Scott Winchester did not yet work for Fanning-Howey, which donated six dogwood trees as symbolic of the tree of knowledge to be planted by students to the south, by the cafeteria.
It was "bittersweet" for Winchester, since both his parents, Joe and Joyce, passed away since ground was broken, but he was joined by his sisters, Judy and Paula; his niece, freshman Jenna Huffman, a Native dancer; and cousin, 1969 DUHS graduate John Winchester, the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians language director.
John's sung and drummed "invitation songs" to "this house of learning," accompanied by Scott. Scott's son, Joe, from Florida, presented a large dream catcher to the school on behalf of the Winchester family.
Scott Winchester considered becoming an astronaut or astronomer, but Frank James' assignment in fifth grade to design an addition to Sister Lakes Elementary School steered him toward architecture.
Board of Education President Randy Cuthbert accepted the building "with a great deal of pride on behalf of the Dowagiac schools. Let's pause for a moment and reflect on the past 15 years and where we are today. Thank you, Scott. I know your roots run deep in Dowagiac and you took great pride in the design and construction of this building."
The eighth grade band, directed by Tom Stansifer, christened the Performing Arts Center Sept. 18 by playing the national anthem.
Musical elections also included "The Power of the Dream," combining the middle school and Union High choirs, featuring solos by Brooke Smith and Kala Simpson. Jeff Robinson directed the choirs, which were accompanied on piano by David Koester.
The Chieftain Marching Band, led by Josh Bartz, and the junior band streamed down the aisles of the 825-seat Performing Arts Center and closed the program with the fight song, "On Dowagiac."
The new middle school features a 4,000-square-foot media center with a computer lab and voice/video production lab, a 15,000-square-foot gymnasium, an eight-lane, all-weather track, football field, soccer field, eight tennis courts and 22 classrooms.
Crandall introduced other board members, including Vice President Sherry File, Secretary Faye Edwards, Treasurer Jane Laing and Trustees Bill Lawrence, Larry Seurynck and Greg Ferrier and former board member Linda Lorenz; Assistant Superintendent for Business and Operations Hal Davis and Assistant Superintendent for Personnel and Special Education Peg Stowers; Maintenance Supervisor Dave Daniels; Principal Mike Frazier; Assistant Principal John Pasternak; retired principal Ron Walsworth; retired superintendent Ron Jones, "who got the ball rolling way back in 1990 with a citizens facilities study committee"; Skillman Corp. construction Site Manager Gary Ritzema; 2001 bond campaign co-chairs Carol Ostyn and Tom Carlson; previous campaign chairs, John Vylonis, Jim Peterson and Dave Moran; campaigns Treasurer Bill Livingston; City Manager Bill Nelson; Southwestern Michigan College President David Mathews; Wolverine Mutual Insurance Co. and President G. Bruce Laing; and Crandall's secretary, Debbie Heeter.