Superintendent

Hudsonville Public SchoolsDr. Doug VanderJagt
3886 Van Buren
Hudsonville, MI 49426
Phone: (616) 669-1740
Fax: (616) 669-4878

Superintendent
Dr. Douglas VanderJagt
 

Dear Hudsonville Community,

The smell of fresh cut grass on a damp, cool night on the soccer 'pitch' defines this time of year. Hearing our high school band practice late into the evening and the smell of chlorine as you near the pool entrance paints the picture of what fall smells/sounds like as the school year is underway. The leaves are beginning to change, and the cool nights are settling in. It is only a matter of time before we get the shovels out and prepare for winter. The 22-23 school year is in full swing, and our students are busy learning new skills and connecting with their classmates as our outstanding educators walk alongside them. I feel so blessed to live in a community with high standards, dedicated staff, and genuinely positive community members. While we continue to strive for excellence, we face our challenges with open minds in an attempt to better our school community. With our kids fully engaged in our classrooms, there are several updates and celebrations as we continue our educational journey together.

We have so much to celebrate! You may have seen this recent report regarding Niche.com rankings – featuring Hudsonville Public Schools in the Top 25 in Michigan and Top 2 in Ottawa County. I know there are all types of rankings, so it's challenging to decide which ones to celebrate, but Niche.com has a long-standing reputation for recognizing successful schools. So, congratulations to our entire community on the high ranking. Our hard-working students, incredible staff, and supportive community drive our district to this special recognition.

As you may notice, construction is underway at many of our schools throughout the district. The 5/6 building is progressing and is on schedule to open next year (fall of 2023). This two-story building is located just north of the Baldwin Middle School/Georgetown campus. The structure connecting the high school main campus and the freshman campus is nearing completion as we anticipate occupying that space by the first of the year. The fieldhouse on the south end of the high school main campus is also coming together nicely and is scheduled to open in the early part of the 23-24 school year. Forest Grove Elementary's new gymnasium should be complete in early 2023, and the design of the new additions at Park Elementary and Bauer Elementary are well underway. The work at both Park and Bauer will begin in roughly a year. Thanks to the support of our community, these projects will positively impact our facilities and learning environments for years to come. 

We continue to partner with our fantastic parents as they seek to be involved in supporting their child's academic journey. We value family engagement and invite and encourage families to take an active role in their children's education. Some families desired more transparency regarding materials available to their children in the school libraries. With that in mind, last week, our building principals sent an email detailing how parents could engage with our schools to better understand the library books that their students can obtain. Please get in touch with your building principal for assistance if you have any questions or need help accessing your child's school library. 

This November 8, we hope you will all get a chance to get to the polls and vote. While many items are on the ballot, please note we have three Board of Education seats open. Please see our website for information regarding the candidates running for these seats. 

With your support, we will continue providing our kids with the best educational opportunities. I hope the start of your child's school year has been rewarding, and we appreciate the partnership we have with you. 

Kind regards,

Doug VanderJagt, Ph.D.