Northwest Education Services -

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. – Representatives from Northwest Education Services (North Ed), the Great Start Collaborative of Traverse Bay and community partners who are engaged in early childhood services gathered Tuesday at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Joseph C. Fisher Early Childhood & Family Center.

The center, located at 1050 Silver Drive in Traverse City, will house office space for North Ed’s Early Childhood Department and community partners, and a model child care setting to serve up to eight infants and toddlers. 

“This building will be a hub of excitement where our youngest learners will get specialized care, and their families will benefit from a strong foundation that supports them through one of life’s most important and challenging journeys: raising a child,” said North Ed Superintendent Dr. Tara Mager. “Through playgroups, parent meetings and more, the Fisher Center will be a resource available to families in our community who need it.”

The building is named after Joe Fisher, who served on North Ed’s Board of Education for 48 years before retiring in June 2025. 

“I am profoundly moved to be associated with this center,” Fisher said. “But this building does not just represent me – it is a symbol of all the hard work and tireless efforts of countless people at North Ed. Most importantly, it represents the taxpayers and neighbors who believe that our youngest learners deserve a space this beautiful and functional. You are the ones who made this a reality.”

North Ed acquired the Fisher center building, which is adjacent to multiple facilities owned by North Ed,  in March 2023 from Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services. Renovations began in spring 2025, and included the creation of spacious new conference rooms, enhanced accessibility to restrooms, a thoughtfully designed outdoor play area featuring accessibility-friendly surfaces,  an engaging indoor play area, alongside space for the child care setting, to be operated by Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency.

“This center will improve the efficiency of our work, and offer families a one-stop shop where they can access everything from preschool assessments to developmental support,” said Dr. Yvonne Donohoe-McCool, North Ed’s director of Early Childhood. “We know that the first few years of a child’s life are the most formative. Early childhood education isn’t just a ‘head start’ – it is the foundation for a lifelong pathway to a meaningful life. By investing in this center, North Ed is affirming that every child in our region deserves access to high-quality learning and care from day one.”

The establishment of the Joseph C. Fisher Early Childhood & Family Center addresses a need – formally identified through North Ed’s 2021 facilities assessment and strategic planning efforts – to consolidate Early Childhood staff, who were spread across multiple locations. One facility will allow the Early Childhood team to better coordinate internally and with partner agencies to improve training opportunities and support regionally, while also increasing community access to early childhood services, such as playgroups, parent education, child assessments, developmental screenings and early intervention programs. 

The North Ed Board of Education began a process to acquire the former Pine Rest facility in June 2022. In March 2023, North Ed announced the addition of the building to its Arnell Campus, along with an arrangement to leaseback a portion of the building to Pine Rest as the organization found a new location. Minor renovations and technology updates occurred in spring 2023, allowing some Early Childhood staff members to occupy the building for the 2023-24 school year. Pine Rest fully vacated the space in December 2024. 

GMB Architects + Engineering and Eckler Building Solutions led the renovation project, at a cost of about $2.92 million. North Ed pays for capital improvement projects through its dedicated capital project funds, derived from local operating millage, and state and federal sources.

In addition to his time on the North Ed Board of Education, Joe Fisher has worked as a dedicated attorney with the law firm Alward Fisher and a member of the Grand Traverse-Leelanau-Antrim Bar Association. He is a past Rotarian and previously served as chairman of the Elk Rapids Harbor Commission.

North Ed’s Early Childhood team plays a crucial role in the community, providing support and resources to young learners, families and early childhood professionals across the region. The Joseph C. Fisher Early Childhood & Family Center will further amplify their impact by creating a central location for collaboration and direct services. 

North Ed is an intermediate school district serving Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Leelanau counties. North Ed provides a range of specialized services and programs to local school districts, educators, students and families, with a strong commitment to early childhood education, special education, career and technical education, educator professional development and more.