School district building renovations under way

Interim Superintendent Jill Simmons, left, Board of Education 

President David Cox and William D. Ford Career-Technical 

Center Principal Jennifer LaDuke broke ground on the  

construction project at the William D. Ford Vocational 

Technical Center recently. 

One of the first projects funded by the $158 million bond approved by voters last November officially got under way May 11 at the William D. Ford Career-Technical Center. Construction of a new front entrance that includes a main office addition with a secure entry, an expansion of the culinary arts area including the total remodeling of the kitchen and banquet center and upgrades throughout the entire building is expected to continue through late November or early December, officials said.
The bond issue will fund improvements at each district school and will address safety, security, health, energy efficiency, accessibility, and technology issues, officials said.
Every room in the Marquette Road technical center will be improved with paint, flooring, lighting, heating and other improvements.
Officials said the goal is to bring the culinary arts program to a state-of-the art level with a complete redesign and expansion to meet the growing enrollment, which is increasing every year.
Students at the technical center may be moved to other district facilities while construction is under way, officials said in a prepared statement. Currently, the center offers more than 19 technical training programs.
According to a spokesman, the coronavirus pandemic caused some delay in the beginning of construction, but the plan is now back on schedule. A bid to complete renovations at Wayne Memorial High School should be issued this fall and the bid for work at John Glenn High School should be ready by next spring, officials said. 
Improvements, particularly in security, are also planned at both the middle and elementary schools.