Video: Zemmer Middle School Ribbon Cutting

Ribbon cutting at Zemmer Middle School

Lapeer Community Schools will celebrate the completion of construction on the second of its two new middle schools at a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house at 6 p.m. August 12 at Zemmer Middle School, 1920 W. Oregon, Lapeer.

Lapeer voters approved a $56.7 million bond issue in 2007, a portion of which financed the renovation of the former Zemmer Junior High School into a new middle school. Construction of the new Rolland-Warner Middle School was completed last fall, expanding the facilities at the former Woodside School. This fall will mark the first time the two new schools will house 6th, 7th and 8th grade students with new, innovative middle school programs.

“We are extremely happy to be able to open these new facilities,” said Debbie Thompson, Lapeer Community Schools Superintendent. “Wired from top to bottom for today’s technology and the technology of the future, these two campuses are ready to serve the students of Lapeer for generations.”

Public invited to Zemmer Middle School ribbon-cutting, open house in August

A new era in education is about to be launched at Lapeer Community Schools, and the District wants to celebrate with the community that helped make it happen. Before the opening of Rolland-Warner Middle School last summer, it had been more than 30 years since a major school building project was completed.

The opening of the new Zemmer Middle School, 1920 W. Oregon Road, will be celebrated at a Ribbon-Cutting and Open House at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 12. Members of the public are invited to attend to mark not only the opening of the state-of-the-art school their support helped build, but also the launch of a new educational program designed to better prepare middle school students for high school and college.

Zemmer will join Rolland-Warner as the District’s middle schools. The schools will house students in grades 6-8, and the District will debut a new curriculum designed to better integrate those grades into students’ academic and social preparation for graduation and college.

But first, the open house will be a chance to view the beautiful new school built with voter support.

“It is hard to believe we are at the end of a community-based initiative that resulted in a successful bond vote in May 2007 and the completion of these two beautiful buildings,” said Superintendent Debbie Thompson. “We hope the community will join with us in this celebration of these new schools and what they will mean to our students now and in the future. We again thank our voters for making this possible.”

The new facility includes separate science and computer laboratories for each grade and a large shared media center. A cafeteria space includes a stage for band, drama and musical performances. New art and music rooms also are included.

Ceremony celebrates Cramton as new home of Lapeer Community High School

Students prepare to cut the ribbon at the re-dedication and open house ceremony of the newly refurbished Cramton building on Tuesday, September 22, 2009. The site now houses Lapeer Community High School.

Video: Rolland-Warner ribbon cutting ceremony August 27, 2009

Enjoy the edited 2-part video on the Rolland-Warner Middle School ribbon cutting ceremony. As soon as Channel 18 is back up and running we will post the entire 48-minute video.

Part I (direct link)



Part II (direct link)

Rolland-Warner Middle School officially opened in ribbon-cutting, open house

The realization of the first half of the ‘dream’ of two new middle schools at the Lapeer Community Schools was celebrated by about 700 people at the ribbon-cutting and official opening of the new Rolland-Warner Middle School Thursday, August 27th.

(Photo: Mrs. Abi Warner and Mrs. Doris Rolland cut the ribbon officially opening the school) More photos available online at the photo gallery.

Rolland-Warner Middle School is the first of two remodeled and expanded buildings in the District financed through a May 2007 bond issue passed by the voters. The new middle school is the first large building project in the District since the completion of Lapeer East High School in 1976.

“Today we are celebrating part one of the middle school dream, the completion of the first middle school. The name chosen for this building is especially fitting as it recognizes the work of two long time Lapeer educators who set the path for us as we embark on this new era of education in Lapeer,” said Superintendent Debbie Thompson. “It is our responsibility to carry forth, not only with beautiful school buildings, but with a quality educational program that serves as a spring board for future academic success.”

“Today is not only a special day for Lapeer Community Schools, but more importantly, it symbolizes what an entire community can accomplish when it works together for the common good of its people,” said Board of Education President William Laidlaw. “Strong communities revolve around its public school system and investments in their future. We should feel privileged to reside in a community that values education and invests in tomorrow’s leaders.”

Rolland-Warner was completely wired for 21st Century technology and includes state-of-the-art science and computer laboratories, as well as a new media center.

For the 2009-2010 school year, Rolland-Warner will be home to Zemmer Junior High School’s seventh grade students, as well as fifth and sixth graders from Murphy Elementary School.
With the completion next summer of the new Zemmer Middle School at the former junior high school site, the District will officially open two middle schools serving sixth, seventh and eighth grade students from the District.

WNEM - TV 5 had this short announcement.

Board of Education President William Laidlaw at Rolland-Warner Middle School

The speech given by Lapeer Board of Education President William Laidlaw at the Rolland-Warner Middle School ribbon-cutting and open house on Thursday, August 27, 2009.

Good evening and welcome to Rolland-Warner Middle School. On behalf of the Board of Education, I’d like to extend a warm welcome and special thank you for your attendance.

Today is not only a special day for Lapeer Community Schools, but more importantly, it symbolizes what an entire community can accomplish when it works together for the common good of its people. Strong communities revolve around its public school system and investments in their future. We should feel privileged to reside in a community that values education and invests in tomorrow’s leaders.

To the taxpayers of this community, we extend our sincere thanks for your investment in our schools. Your trust and support in this Board of Education is deeply appreciated. I can assure each of you that your investment will impact every student in this district, providing the necessary technology and learning environments that assist our valued staff in providing excellent educational opportunities for those that pass through our doors.

Because of your support and generosity, we are building two new middle schools, making significant improvements in all buildings, providing much needed technology and media centers, replacing outdated furniture, and constructing new science labs in both of our high schools. We are stretching your hard-earned dollars as far as possible to ensure we provide the highest quality education for every student we have the privilege of serving.

To the members of Barton Mallow and French and Associates, we extend our thanks for your hard work and creativity in bringing our older buildings back to life, providing state of the art educational facilities at an affordable level to our taxpayers. Your efforts will be proudly displayed to the community in the tour that follows this ceremony.

To my fellow board members and our administration, I want to commend you for your perseverance in making today possible. After two devastating bond defeats in 2005 and 2006, we continued to seek a solution to our facility problems when most would have given up.

By creating a viable process that included staff, students, parents and community members, we were able to garner the support needed to pass the first bond issue in more than thirty years. Through that process, setting personal preferences aside, we listened to our community and proposed an affordable solution that was overwhelmingly supported.

Because of your dedicated efforts to our students, it is a privilege to serve as your board president, and I am excited to work along side of each you to realize the vision we have for our district and community.

Six months ago, our board had the privilege of honoring Doris Rolland and Abi Warner, wife of the late Ron Warner, after whom this facility is named. Both women spoke passionately about education and the vision they had for our new middle school program.

Their words left a lasting impression on all of us. Mrs. Rolland went so far as to challenge our board and superintendent to create a middle school program that will someday be nationally recognized. As we celebrate new facilities, technology, and educational resources furnished through the passage of this bond, we must never lose focus on curriculum and instruction within the classroom that drives student achievement levels to new heights.

Our board’s focus will always be on supporting our outstanding staff in developing a quality K through 12 program that will allow every student the opportunity to be the best they can be. We have the staff, the facilities, and the resources to make that dream a reality, and I am confident that we will succeed.

As we tour the new Rolland-Warner facility this evening, I encourage each of you to realize what can be done with older facilities to create learning environments that are conducive to student success. As an advocate of public education, I would be remiss in not reminding each of us that this bond realizes only the first half of the long range facility master plan our Board of Education adopted in 2004.

When the economy improves and our student population increases, I am hopeful that in the near future we can once again begin a collaborative process that places an affordable bond issue before us, providing an equitable learning environment for every student in our district. With creative thinking, good process, and community input, I believe this goal will someday be a reality.

Thank you for your support of Lapeer Community Schools and enjoy the tour of your community’s new school.

Superintendent Debbie Thompson at the Rolland-Warner Middle School ribbon-cutting

(The complete text of the remarks of Superintendent Debbie Thompson at the Rolland-Warner Middle School ribbon-cutting and open house, Thursday, August 27, 2009.)

"May 8, 2007 was an important day for the Lapeer community and Lapeer Community Schools in particular. On that day the community passed a bond supporting renovations to our schools, the infusion of much needed technology into our classrooms, the replacement of some of our most outdated furniture, and most importantly, the creation of two middle schools by renovating two of our existing buildings.

It was a long time coming but the passage of the bond spoke of the community’s recognition that education is essential for our future, and providing quality learning environments for our students helps our students become independent and confident learners for the future.

Today we are celebrating part one of the middle school dream, the completion of the first middle school. The name chosen for this building is especially fitting as it recognizes the work of two long time Lapeer educators who set the path for us as we embark on this new era of education in Lapeer.

Doris Rolland was a teacher and principal at the Woodside School at Oakdale, the original school on this site. She also was director of special education for the Oakdale facility. At the time our last new building opened she was serving on the Board of Education.

Ron Warner retired from Lapeer Community Schools as the assistant superintendent. He began his long career with the district as a teacher and then served in numerous administrative positions. Ron was instrumental in the annexation and consolidation of the former one-room school houses into the district that we know today.

Both of these individuals devoted their lives to the children of Lapeer. They were committed to providing excellent educational opportunities to all students because they believed that all students could learn.

It is our responsibility to carry forth, not only with beautiful school buildings, but with a quality educational program that serves as a spring board for future academic success. Our commitment to the community is that we will challenge ourselves and our students to reach for the top, to excel in the classroom, and go forth prepared for the challenges of a future that may not be imagined this afternoon.

To start our program I would like to ask Christopher Keller to come forward and lead us in the pledge of allegiance. Chris is an incoming 7th grader. After the pledge members of the East and West bands will play the Star Spangled Banner.

Before I begin recognizing the various dignitaries who are here today I would like to recognize the custodial staff of Lapeer Community Schools. They have worked tirelessly to get this building ready for this evening. They always want our buildings to look spectacular and tonight is no exception."

The County Press: Lapeer Community Schools to show off 'new' school

The County Press of Lapeer did a nice front page story on the ribbon-cutting and open house at Rolland-Warner Middle School on Thursday, August 27th at 6 p.m.

Rolland-Warner Ribbon-Cutting and Community Open House 6 p.m. August 27th

Completion of the District’s first major school building project in more than 30 years will be celebrated at a Ribbon-Cutting and Community Open House at the new Rolland-Warner Middle School, 333 DeMille Boulevard in Lapeer at 6 p.m. August 27th.

The public is invited to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony and tour the building at the open house that follows. Refreshments will be served.

Rolland-Warner Middle School was named for former Lapeer teacher and administrator Ronald Warner and former Woodside principal Doris Rolland. Mrs. Abi Warner, the wife of the late Ronald Warner, and Mrs. Rolland are scheduled to be at the event.

Construction at the site began in late May 2008 following a ground-breaking ceremony on May 20, 2008.

Reconstruction is currently under way at the former Zemmer Junior High School site. Rolland-Warner Middle School and Zemmer Middle School are scheduled to open to sixth, seventh and eighth grade students in the fall of 2010.

“This exciting event marks a new era in the education of children at Lapeer Community Schools,” said Superintendent Debbie Thompson. “We appreciate the voters of our community providing this beautiful and much needed facility for our District.”