Rochester Community Schools Announces Names Of 2 Buildings

ROCHESTER, MI — Rochester Community Schools is proud to announce the new names of two buildings within the district—the Dr. John M. Schultz Educational Campus, 1440 John R. Road, and the RCS Caring Steps Children’s Center, 3838 N. Rochester Road. In keeping with district policy, screening committees composed of district employees, parents, citizens, and students, were formed to determine a name for each building.

“Great care and thought went into assuring that the name of both facilities was respectful of the legacy and excellence associated with the district,” district officials said in a release Tuesday.

Here’s a look at the names behind each building:

Dr. John M. Schultz Educational Campus

Thanks to the ongoing bond efforts, the original building located at 1440 John R. Road was expanded by 30,000 square feet to provide space for the Alternative Center for Education, the adult Special Education program, and the Rochester Adult Center for Education.

Construction on the building began in September 2017 and is scheduled to be complete in September 2018 in time for the new school year.

Dr. John M. Schultz served as the superintendent of Rochester Community Schools from 1983-2005, an unprecedented 22 years. The current superintendent is Dr. Robert Shaner.

“When Bob [Shaner] told me that a building was being named after me, I was so surprised. I’m honored, truly. I didn’t expect it,” said Schultz.

Schultz was born and raised in Detroit and married his high school sweetheart. Tall in stature, he was a gifted and talented athlete who played professional baseball from 1958-1964.

“I was one of only two minor leaguers on an all major league baseball team,” said Schultz. “I made the all-star team five times and hit over 300 five of the seven years I played.”

Schultz attended college part time while playing baseball and earned his bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from Wayne State University. “I loved to learn. I didn’t know that about myself, but then I kept on going back,” said Schultz.

He continued with his education, earning a Master’s degree in Administration from the University of Michigan and a postgraduate doctoral degree in Curriculum Leadership from Wayne State University.

“I feel so good about this school district. I was a big part of it for a long time, but I didn’t do it alone—there’s no question about it. I surrounded myself with great people who challenged me, and I encouraged that, to be challenged. And most of the time, we all agreed on things. But I do believe in leadership, and you do have to have leadership to make things happen. And I did that. I’m really honored.”

He and his wife still live locally. Together, they have three children and six grandchildren.

RCS Caring Steps Children’s Center

The Rochester Community School District is proud to provide community members with a new childcare facility.

With the early childcare facility slated to open in the fall 2018, children from birth through age five can receive the quality care and educational expertise that the community has grown to expect from Rochester Community Schools. The new services will be housed in a recently purchased and renovated facility located near Gunn Road. The location offers 36,000 square feet of space on 23 acres.

Year-round care will be available for newborns, infants and toddlers from 6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Flexible scheduling includes two, three, four, and five-day options to accommodate the needs of our families.

“In order to fully meet the needs of the community, we needed to expand our footprint. Opening a childcare center provided a solution with great opportunity,” said Superintendent Robert Shaner. “If all goes according to the schedule, we look forward to opening the facility this fall.”

Image via Rochester Community Schools

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