(Atlantic) The Atlantic School Board on Wednesday approved the purchase of 1014/1016 3rd Street Place from the City for one dollar in return for putting in a residential house project that is getting a huge financial boost from the Atlantic Community School Foundation.
Atlantic Schools Superintendent Steve Barber stated last month, Industrial Tech Instructor Dexter Dodson appeared in front of the School Board with a floor plan.
At the May 11 Atlantic Community School Foundation board meeting, the group unanimously voted to fund a request from Atlantic High School Industrial Technology teacher Dexter Dodson, on behalf of the Construction Trades Program, for $150,000 to allow the construction trades students to build a home from start to finish in our community.
According to the press release, a steering committee was created six years ago to build a program where students could gain hands-on experience in the trade professions. From that committee work, the construction trades program was established, and since then, the students in this program have built a garage and helped erect the greenhouse at Atlantic High School. From the inception of these conversations, the committee’s goal has always been to have this class someday build a home in the community. The Industrial Tech Program is spearheaded by Dexter Dodson, instructor for the Building Trades class, and Noah Widrowicz, Middle & High School Industrial Tech teacher, who plays a significant role by providing the prerequisite classes to the building trades class.
“This project will connect our construction trades program to all aspects of construction,” said Dodson. “It will provide them with real-world experiences and build necessary soft skills while creating a sense of pride for them in the community and continue to connect the school to many business partners to build relationships for protentional future employment.”
Through the help of Randy Watts, the drafting classes have produced a floor plan for this home construction project that would include a single-car garage.
The Atlantic Community School Board has purchased a lot from the City of Atlantic for this home to be built on so that construction can begin in the 2023-2024 school year.
The Atlantic Community School Foundation is a 501(C)3 nonprofit organization steered by a Board of Directors representing a cross-section of experienced leaders in civic, business, corporate, professional, and educational fields within the Atlantic Community School District. The Atlantic Community School Foundation was created in 1984, having a principal fund of its own managed by the Board of Directors,
with the mission to raise funds to foster, promote and encourage the furthering of public education programs for which federal and state funding is unavailable.
The purpose of the Foundation serves four needs: To foster educational opportunities for the Atlantic Community School District youth by
providing financial support for academic programs and facilities. To offer individual financial support to school district students through scholarships and financial aid at the discretion of the Board of Trustees. To develop more community involvement and financial support for the Atlantic public schools. To reward high achievement in education.
Ted Robinson is the President of the Atlantic Community School Foundation.
Current Foundation members are President Ted Robinson; Vice President Stacey Bean; Treasurer Steve Tjepkes; Secretary David Wiederstein; and Board Members Kevin Garrett, John Becker, Brad Henningsen, Lucas Mosier, Sue Hunt, Jessie Shiels and non-voting member, Superintendent Steven Barber.
To learn more about the Atlantic Community School Foundation, visit https://www.atlanticiaschools.org/foundation. If you want to donate to the Foundation or need more information, don’t hesitate to contact Steve Tjepkes at AMU or Ted Robinson at First Whitney Bank.
