What do drafts, leaks, and safety have in common with the Hemlock Board of Education? They share a campus together and the Hemlock Board of Education (BOE) is keeping its promise to the voters of our district to address these issues and more. As they reviewed and carefully considered projects to move forward the BOE focused on honoring their promise to voters to replace/repair roofs as able, replace old windows (circa 1959), and keep safety at the forefront of their decisions. 

Trustee David Messing, Chair of the Facility Assessment Committee of the Board of Education said, “Enhancing our student’s learning environment by minimizing things like drafts and leaks with a focus on keeping everyone safe was our goal. The district has a lot of larger needs that we cannot address at this time, but we are doing our absolute best with the resources we have been entrusted with.” 

The Hemlock Board of Education at their regular April meeting unanimously approved a series of action items that approved roof work this summer/fall and plans for next summer/fall, as well. In addition to roofs, a rework of our middle school parking lot; that includes a drop-off/pick up lane and sidewalk, and moving the student recess/play area out of the parking lot to an area north of the building, with some outdoor courts, and other age-appropriate items for students. The roof work at Hemlock Elementary and Middle School, the Middle School parking lot, and the Middle School student play area follow the BOE approval to replace high school windows that were original to the building in 1959. 

Superintendent Don Killingbeck said, “We are so fortunate for the support of our community and families to be able to address these needs in real-time and work to stay ahead of issues as they arise. The district has ¼ million square feet under-roof so these types of projects will be ongoing for years to come, with more needs than funds each year. We will continue to do our best to maximize the benefits to our students and stakeholders.”