A sign of the future on the school landscape

An electronic sign will be added to the front of Klager Elementary later this spring.

The landscape along M-52, inside the village limits, is going to get a bright new face-lift soon, as a full color electronic message sign was approved by the Board of Education at its March 20 meeting.

“For many years, there’s been talk about putting a sign in front of Klager,” Superintendent Cherie Vannatter said. “The wooden one that was originally there had to be taken down a few years ago because it was rotted. At that time, we didn’t have money in the General Fund to replace it so we just put up the small white sign as a temporary fix.”

But, because the actual school building sits quite a way back from the highway, behind a residence, and shares its driveway with the Methodist church and the athletic fields, there is often a question, especially among those who aren’t familiar with the area, as to exactly where the elementary school is.

“So quite simply, we needed a sign to let people know where the school is,” Vannatter explained. “Second, (the electronic sign) is a way to communicate more with the community.” And while a variety of school-related events are announced on the message sign in front of the high school, “not as many people go down Dutch Drive as M-52,” she continued. “This way, we can put up notices for the elementary school as well as the entire district–like Kindergarten Round Up, band concerts or sports events.”

The sign can also be used as a marketing tool for the district; advertising school of choice or announcing other district news, such as the girls basketball team became the Class C State Champions in 2013, Vannatter added. Other community oriented messages may be utilized by the district especially during the summer when there are fewer activities at school. The sign, as shown, will be about 10 feet tall and a little over nine feet wide.

The Fritz Sign company of Jackson was selected to create and erect the two-sided sign, which will be placed at a 90-degree angle to the road, with a setback that should not affect visibility from the Klager driveway. The sign will sit on a brick base and will have “Manchester Community Schools” and “Klager Elementary” as stationary text with a 4.5-foot color electronic screen for changing messages. Two quotes were received, with Fritz Sign being the low bid at $44,900.

The cost will come from 2014 bond funding, which was allocated to technology, safety, and buses. After the purchase of the sign, Vannatter said that about $379,000 would be remaining in the first phase of the bond, and an additional $1.2 million would be coming available in Phase 2, so this would not affect the district’s ability to continue to upgrade technology or purchase additional buses or safety items.

“The only way we would be able to afford this purchase is through bond dollars. We checked with our bond counsel and this is an allowable purchase as technology,” Vannatter explained. “And it also reflects the safety aspect of the bond, as it allows us to communicate and inform the students, parents, and the public about what is happening in the district.”

Vannatter said that while there are a number of ways that the new sign will benefit the district, there are also ways that it can benefit the students.

“We talked about the ability for our students to use this as an opportunity for learning technology–graphics, programming, and coding,” she said. “Using this in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) courses for elementary kids and up, would involve digital media, animation, and graphic arts learning.”

The sign is anticipated to be erected later this spring, Vannatter concluded.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.