Kentwood — In preparation for the opening of Hamilton Elementary and Early Childhood Center, students in all 10 current KPS elementary schools are receiving letters this week informing them which school they are assigned to in 2025-26.
Along with printed letters sent home with students, families will receive electronic notification as well, said Sunil Joy, KPS executive director of strategy and innovation.
District-wide, about one in four students will be assigned to a different school than they currently attend, including those who will be attending Hamilton, Joy said.
Parents can also use the school assignment locator to find their family’s assigned school.
‘Kentwood Public Schools is a destination district, with an increase of more than 200 students this year alone.’
— Superintendent Kevin Polston
The Board of Education approved revised elementary school attendance boundaries last month following a comprehensive planning process from fall 2023 to December 2024. Administrators hosted three rounds of town hall meetings and presented at each elementary school to share updates and gather feedback from the community, staff and students.
“One of the things we were trying to accomplish was to have balance in all our schools,” said Joy, noting that the boundaries bring enrollment of all buildings into similar size, between 400 and 500 students. Currently, elementaries vary in size by as many as 400 students.
The $20 million extensive renovation and construction project to create the new Hamilton Elementary and Early Childhood Center at 3303 Breton Road SE began in spring 2024. It formerly served as an early childhood center. The project is funded by a bond passed by voters in 2021.
While all schools will be affected by the new boundaries, Discovery Elementary will be impacted most, since Hamilton is currently part of the Discovery Elementary attendance zone.
Community Input Considered
The boundary revision process began two years ago and incorporated extensive community input. Joy said surveys identified key priorities for families and staff:
- creating/maintaining neighborhood schools
- maintaining diversity in buildings
- considering population growth/balance for elementary schools.
“As it relates to the boundaries, they were revised based on those three priority areas,” he said. “We used those as our guiding principles.”
The district also considered enrollment data, examined current and planned home construction for the area, and considered stakeholder feedback to make decisions regarding new zones.
“Their feedback was instrumental in guiding our decisions on revising elementary attendance zones,” said Superintendent Kevin Polston in a press release.
KPS, the most diverse district in Michigan, is one of three Kent County districts that have grown in enrollment over the past 10 years, with an increase of 607 students since 2012-14, according to data from MI School Data.
“Kentwood Public Schools is a destination district, with an increase of more than 200 students this year alone,” Polston added. “Our goal was not only to provide a smooth transition for students as we open Hamilton Elementary, but also to make well-informed decisions that serve the needs of our students and families for years to come.”
In late May, each school will host a welcoming event to help students and families get acquainted with their new schools. Additional details are available on the KPS website. More information including frequently asked questions can be found here.
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