ESD completes renovations.

ESD completes renovations.

#MasonCountyNews.

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief.

AMBER TOWNSHIP — The West Shore Educational Service District held a public open house Monday afternoon celebrating the completion of a $2.5 million expansion and upgrade to its facility located at 2130 W. US 10-31.

The construction was the first major renovation to the building since it opened in 1974, said Superintendent Randy Howes.

“This building was built primarily as a classroom facility for special education students and with some students,” Howes said. “Back then, this was just the Mason Intermediate School District. Over the course of time, the responsibilities of ISDs have vastly increased. When the building opened ISDs were not responsible for early childhood education. We didn’t have a career technical education division and didn’t have nearly the depth in services required for professional development. Since that time, we have also merged with the Lake ISD and more recently the Oceana ISD. As the West Shore ESD, we now service an area that covers over 2,000 square miles.”

Howes said one of the major changes to the renovated facility is less classrooms and more conference and office space.

“Special education classrooms that were here have almost all been moved out to the local school districts to provide children with the least restrictive environments. Students who are moderately cognitive can function very well in the regular school settings. It’s good for them and it’s good for other kids.”

The ESD building does still have classroom space for student instruction of students who have the highest disability levels.

The remainder of the building includes expanded conference and office space.