Kentwood — Educators, parents and students celebrated their new school, Hamilton Elementary, during a recent meet-and-greet event, where they got to know one another and learned what the 2025-26 school year will bring.
During the gathering, hosted in the school’s parking lot due to ongoing construction, Abeer Abuhaltm and her children, incoming fifth-grader Omar and third-grader Malak chatted with Principal Ahnna Sisco.
“This school is massive!” Omar said, widening his eyes in awe. “I’m excited about what is going to be in it.”
While the late May event wasn’t typical for the beginning of summer break, similar events were also held at the other 10 KPS elementary schools. The district has redrawn elementary school attendance boundaries to make way for Hamilton, located at 3303 Breton Road SE, and nearly 25% of elementary students, or 1,000 students, will attend a different school in the fall, according to information from the district.
‘We get to set up a great culture. Everybody gets to be new at the same time, so we all get to grow together.’
— Kelsey Merz, Hamilton Elementary kindergarten teacher
The goal was for students and families to have a chance to go to their new buildings and meet staff prior to the start of the school year.
“This is an opportunity for not only students to meet their teachers and their new staff, but also for the community to meet each other,” said Sisco, who taught in KPS for 10 years at Challenger and Brookwood elementaries and was dean at Endeavor for two years before beginning a year of planning this year as Hamilton’s first principal. Her two children will also attend Hamilton.
Starting Anew, Growing Together
At Hamilton, teachers and other staff members staffed game tables, gave away books and got to know their future students.
“A new school feels like lots of new opportunities,” said kindergarten teacher Kelsey Merz. “We get to set up a great culture. Everybody gets to be new at the same time, so we all get to grow together.”
About 350 students will attend young fives through fifth grade at Hamilton. The school also includes eight early childhood classrooms, which will be staffed in partnership with Kent ISD and the Great Start Readiness Program.
Sisco has spent the year planning for the new school, including programming and curriculum. She eagerly anticipated the arrival of bookshelves and new books.
“One of the most important pieces we worked on was the updated library,” she said. “We have a brand new collaboration center that will be a flexible space for our students to learn. We also have brand new books and we made sure they reflect the diversity of our students.”
The $20 million extensive renovation and construction project on the new school, formerly an early childhood center, was funded by a bond passed in 2021.
Sisco said students and families can look forward to all of the latest technology, new classroom doors for optimal security, and a state-of-the-art cafeteria space with big windows to allow lots of natural light.
Another major offering at Hamilton will be implementation of the International Baccalaureate program. The first school in Kentwood to offer IB, the district has begun working toward accreditation, a three-year process, for the Primary Years Programme.
The Geneva, Switzerland-based program focuses on developing intellectual, personal, emotional and social skills to live, learn and work in a rapidly globalizing world.
Third-grader Taylor Johnson attended with her mom, Tiara Cross. While Taylor is looking forward to finding out who her teacher is, making new friends and math, Cross was pleased for another reason.
“I’m excited because we love Mrs. Sisco, and that (Taylor) is one of the first students to attend a brand-new school.”
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