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The Hillside Learning & Behavior Center West (Hillside) playground equipment is HERE! The equipment especially adapted for special needs students was the dream of the staff and parents of the Hillside students.

“We expect to have over 75 people involved in the project from beginning to end including young adult students, families, community members, businesses and school staff,’ sates Robin Melvin, Hillside Principal.   “We are excited about the expanded opportunities this new playground will bring for our kids as so much is learned by children through play.”

A little over $20,000 was raised through fundraisers by Hillside kids, families/friends and staff (pizza sale, auctions, etc.), as well as donations, memorials, and two motorcycle runs.  The AAESA Board of Education matched the funds giving a little over $41,000 to buy the playground equipment.

 “The structure will be ramped to allow for kids in wheelchairs to explore the activities”, shares Melvin.  “There will be a lot of new swings coming, slides and other fun pieces of equipment.”

BUT, now it needs to be put together. Therefore, the week of April 28th, there is a need for volunteers (18 and older) to “put the nuts and bolts together” to prepare for installation. Then on Friday, May 2nd (8:30 –noon), and Saturday, May 3re (8 – done),   volunteers are needed to prepare the site and install playground equipment and furniture.

The Allegan County Area Technical & Educational Center (ACATEC)  Auto Sales/Sales Business will  "open for business"  on March 17th 2008. The ACATEC Auto Sales/Sales business will have two student managers and student sales people and will be selling used cars that have been repaired and detailed by both ACATEC and Hillside students. Further, other student built projects from both the Construction Technology and Welding Classes will also be for sale. 

The mission of the Technical  Education Center is to prepare today’s students to be successful in the workforce of tomorrow. The Auto Sales Center is a great opportunity to prepare students for careers in sales and management. The money earned from all sales will support ACATEC student programs.

When the Allegan Area Educational Service Agency (AAESA) Superintendent, Ron Fuller, and Allegan County Administrator, Rob Sarro, decided to challenge each other as part of their United Way Campaign, they knew the winners would be the people of Allegan County.

The winning organization would have to have the highest average pledge per the number of staff who pledge. Their overall goals were to both increase the number of staff in their organizations who pledged and also increase the over all pledge amount. To their pleasure and excitement, when the pledges were tallied, they achieved all of their goals.

ACRDC Head Start and the Allegan County Area Technical & Education Center (ACATEC) have created a partnership that will profit the quality of child development services in Allegan County both today and for years in the future.

Initiated this school year, with the NEW ACATEC Child Development Course of study,  students seeking their Child Development Accreditation (CDA)are going right into the Head Start Classrooms and having the opportunity to work with and learn first-hand from experienced Head Start Teachers.

“This is a win-win situation and fits the mission of our two organizations,” shared Nick Westra, ACATEC Director. “For the ACATEC, we are able to offer our students the chance to learn first-hand, in the work place, from some of the best providers in the county.”

“Further”, continues Westra,” We are serving the need of our county for more childcare providers who are highly qualified and accredited.”

Student who complete the ACATEC class and are 17, are legally able to work in a licensed center in Michigan, including becoming Head Start Center Assistants and/or Teacher Assistants. Having their CDA portfolio is an additional bonus. Many students plan to go on to post-secondary education to achieve an Associates Degree and/or Elementary Education BA teaching degree wit a ZA (early childhood) endorsement. Head Start Teacher generally have BA Degrees in Early Childhood Development.

The Allegan Area Educational Service Agency Board of Education is pleased to announce Mark Dobias, currently Fennville Public Schools Superintendent, as their selection for the new superintendent of the AAESA.

After a second interview on Monday, October 29, 2007, the board voted unanimously to select Mark as their new educational leader contingent on successful contract negotiations the week of November 5, 2007.

““The most important job of any Board of Education is to select a superintendent to lead the district”, commented Phyllis Drozd, AAESA Board President. “The AAESA Board of Education took this charge seriously, and we were committed to fully evaluating all candidates to insure we selected the best person for our organization.”

“We are pleased to have selected Mark Dobias as our candidate of choice”, added Drozd.

Allegan County Administrator, Rob Sarro, and Allegan Area Educational Service Center (AAESA) Superintendent, Ron Fuller, are “facing off” to support the 2007 Allegan County United Way Campaign.

“We are challenging each other and the organizations we represent to increase their pledges and pledge amounts to the 2007 United Way Campaign”,  explains Sarro. We both also really agree that it is important to have some fun doing it,” explains Sarro. 

The winner will be the administrator with the organization that has the highest average pledge amount based on the number of staff pledges. The looser will have to wear the winner’s college colors for one work day. Both organization are also having challenges between departments, with the people who pledged in the winning department having a chance to win $100.00 of free gas. The free gas gift is from an anonymous donor to both organizations.