Superintendent David Holmes believes fostering these connections helps spur financial support for the district and creates more opportunities for students.

“Our overall goal is to have the community feel connected to the school,” Holmes said. “We feel we’re making significant progress in that area.”

That financial support has included several major donations. The Zanardi Family Trust last year gave $4.5 million for scholarships and improvements to the school. Jerry and Kathy Novickis also provided a total of $300,000 for the music department through the Temple-Novickis Family Foundation.

This money helped pay for additions that improved the choir and band rooms, said Justin Cowen, director of learning technology.

Kingsford High School senior Madelynn Kreider, right, and teacher Jaclynn Kreider look at an image on the new Anatomage Table being used in Anatomy & Physiology II. The table was purchased with money from an anonymous donor.

The Kingsford middle school and high school choirs were able to travel to Houghton for the Wisconsin School Music Association choral festival, with all earning Division 1 ratings, the highest possible score.

“It’s cool to have about 130 kids travel up somewhere and really succeed,” Cowen said. “Curt Rogan has done a great job with that program, just kind of growing it. Those donations really help fund that.”

Even at Woodland Elementary School, Zanardi money added to comfort and success of the music program. They were able to purchase risers for the Woodland Elementary School gymnasium. The risers gave the students more room and parents were able to see their children better during performances.

“Historically, they’ve had to get risers from here (the high school), spend a day transporting them and setting them up and they are set for an auditorium, not for a gym,” Cowen explained. “I noticed a big difference just this year from past years.”

Elementary Principal Kristina Brazeau agreed. “It’s helpful with the sizes of the classes as well. You can adjust.”

From left Kingsford Middle School eighth graders Brooke Bartolac, Hailey Cherette and Elliette Cowen practice in one of the newly remodeled band and choir practice rooms at the school.

Zanardi funds are also being used for the district’s Flivver Field Legacy Project, a $1.85-$2-million project to replace the track and add artificial turf to the football field, among other things. All the major and smaller components have been paid through donations, including $200,000 from the Iron Mountain-Kingsford Community Schools, $150,000 from the booster club and $150,000 through fundraising efforts, with zero funds coming from the school, Holmes said. That project is expected to start this summer.

Another unique donation came from an anonymous person who wished to make a difference for students aiming to pursue a career in a medical field. The $116,000 donation was used to purchase an Anatomage Table. Discussion began in October and the table was ready for classroom use at the beginning of February.

“Normally a lot of these tables you’ll see at colleges. It’s kind of unique for a high school to have one.” Cowen said.

They worked with Northeast Wisconsin Technical College so the school’s version would be similar to what NWTC has. The table features 3-D models of bodies and all the anatomy. Layers can be removed. There are also five different cadavers — one with lung disease — so students can see human parts. It has many different animals for digital dissection as well.

“Using the trust, they were able to get the science add-on, so students can use the table for more than just biology and anatomy, they can use if for all the different sciences,” Cowen said.

The Kingsford Eighth Grade Choir practices in the newly remodeled choir room under the direction of Curt Rogan.

“When the donor asked about kids pursuing medical field, we were fortunate enough to have some advanced classes in Anatomy 1 and Anatomy 2 — so it was a natural fit for us, to find something that many of the kids involved in those areas are interested in. The tech center has the medical careers course. They’ll actually be able to — in the future — access this device as well,” Holmes said.

“I was just in a class where Jaclyn Kreider, a science teacher, was looking at the kidney system, but there’s different layers on it so you can remove all the musculature, remove the whole skeletal system, zoom in,” added Aaron Younk, assistant high school principal.

Donations have been used to purchase books for the elementary school for their “One Book, One School” reading program, Bazeau said.

With the funds, they will be able to take the whole fourth grade on a field trip for their salmon release project. The classes raise salmon from eggs to fry, using supplies from Trout Unlimited. In the past, only one class in the grade was able to attend the release, she said.

They have used money to purchase musical instruments, books for the library, a new sanding machine for the woodshop and uniforms for the esport team.

Jeff Paupore, right, readers to Eden Pipp at Literacy Night at Woodland Elementary School.

“We’re looking at more opportunities for kids,” Kingsford High School Principal David Lindbeck said.

“Even outside the trust, we have businesses and organizations that donate their time,” Cowen said. One example is the district’s STEM Night that drew more than 340 kids.

“Businesses are always really excited when they leave” this event, Cowen said.

Some donations go for smaller things, such as offsetting the cost of prom or buying prizes that support the district’s positive behavioral programs.

Middle School Assistant Principal Tamara Nash said donations have been used for the life skills program, which helps kids starting in sixth grade learn about budgeting, food choices and employability. “Zanardi funded T-shirts and they (students) have a treat trolley weekly, with treats and snacks for staff and students,” she said. They will also go to fund the annual eighth grade dinner dance, which has taken place since at least 1983. This year it will be at Pine Grove Country Club, she said.

Holmes said they are taking a small team of teachers and administrators into various businesses and industries around the area in hopes to “one, create a stronger connection with them, and two, observe and find out if we can bring those career employability skills into the day-to-day classroom.”

Holmes added, “Any of the folks that have donated financially to our district have done so because they were able to, but also because they feel connected and feel that can make a positive impact on the kids in our school. And one donor in particular really emphasizes one of the reasons they donated was because they wanted to inspire others to do the same. And I think it’s definitely happening. We have people that either donate their time or their talents. Whatever they can to make this a strong district, the focus and center of the community.”

Marguerite Lanthier can be reached at 906-774-3500, ext. 85242, or mlanthier@ironmountaindailynews.com.