This summer was busy at Chippewa! Our building was built in 1940 by Alden B. Dow as a replacement for the aging 1906 building that housed the Barrett School of Midland, a one-room country schoolhouse. Chippewa Cooperative Preschool began renting the building in 1959, run by a group of Midland mothers who believed in the cooperative education model. Chippewa was able to purchase the building from the Midland Board of Education, and we have lovingly maintained the building since.
Updates to the building were completed around our summer program schedule, and will keep our school in good repair and ready to teach preschoolers for decades to come! Three Rivers Corporation repaired and reinforced a basement column, repaired the front steps to the school, resurfaced and waterproofed the front porch, and removed and filled outdated manholes. Houstons Handyman converted our existing fluorescent light fixtures to energy-efficient LED bulbs. Scott Sweeny removed and repoured our front sidewalk.
We are grateful for the work completed by local businesses, and we are thankful for the fundraising efforts of our families each fall and spring, so that we may continue to improve the school and curriculum without increasing tuition.
