Kentwood — A new Valleywood Middle School, a restored Kentwood Ice Arena and a new performing arts center at the East Kentwood Freshman Campus are major projects planned if voters approve a $125 million bond request on Tuesday, May 5.
Passage of the bond would result in a 0.5 mill increase, restoring the district’s debt rate to 4.5, which it was in 2011, and maintaining it as the second-lowest rate among school districts in the county, according to information from the Kent County website.
Owners of the average Kentwood home valued at $321,000 would see an increase in property taxes of $6.68 per month.
“We designed this program in response to our community growth and values around school facilities. The beauty of that is their voices and their imprint is all over it,” said Superintendent Kevin Polston. “It’s a process we’ve done with the community.”
The district determined the slate of projects, to begin in 2028 and end in 2032 if approved, following multiple rounds of stakeholder input last fall. Those opportunities came after the opening of Hamilton Elementary and Early Childhood Center, the district’s 11th elementary school and an extensive elementary redistricting process.
“The top question that came up in that process was, ‘What are you going to do about middle school?’” Polston said.
The nearly 10,000-student district has increased by 800 students over the past 10 years. Polston said he expects growth to continue as Kentwood has become known as a destination district and more than 1,000 units of new housing are planned for construction in the district.
‘Reimagining’ a Middle School
A new Valleywood Middle School would replace the existing 1967 building at its current location, 1110 50th SE. It would have capacity for 750 students, up from the 552 enrolled this year. (Watch an informational video here.)
A new building would feature modern learning environments, abundant natural light and a safe, accessible and efficient building layout, according to district communications.
The decision to build new rather than renovate was made after a study of facilities found that Valleywood would need $30 million in infrastructure investment to ensure it was at a good or excellent standard, Polston said.
“Valleywood not only has a high need for infrastructure enhancements, but also has 20 classrooms that don’t have any natural light — lots of interior classrooms, narrow hallways, lower ceilings. Just the feeling in the building doesn’t align with what research suggests a facility needs to support student learning,” he said.
“When you combine a 60-year-old building, aging infrastructure and our two other middle schools that have received significant upgrades in recent times, it pointed toward ‘Do we remodel or do we reimagine?’ Over 95 percent of respondents said, ‘It’s time to reimagine – this is more than just a remodel.’”
If the bond is approved, construction would begin on the middle school in 2028, with the building opening in 2030.
Ice Arena Restoration & Second Performing Arts Center
Students and families indicated through an extracurricular survey and focus groups that they value the Kentwood Ice Arena, Polston said. Home to the Falcons’ ice hockey team and many community programs, it is the only ice area in West Michigan owned and operated by a school district.
The bond would fund new roof coating, a new mechanical room and equipment for code compliance, a complete electrical system upgrade, a new rink refrigeration system, and exterior doors and enhanced security by adding cameras and card-reader access.
Students also indicated that the Kentwood Fine Arts Auditorium at East Kentwood High School does not adequately serve all groups that would like to use it. There’s also inadequate space for instrument storage, Polston said.
“For a district of 10,000 students to have one fine arts space, it just wasn’t meeting our needs.”
A second performing arts center, added to the Freshman Campus, would bring a second fine arts center to the East Kentwood campus. It would have a capacity for 600 seats and would be used district-wide. Other improvements would include renovations to the high school performing arts center, including auditorium upgrades and full renovation to classrooms.
The bond would also fund a Career Tech Education/STEM Center at the Freshman Campus to add expanded space for career readiness programs.
Other projects would include:
- Accessible playgrounds at Bowen, Brookwood, Discovery, Endeavor, Explorer and Meadowlawn elementaries.
- District-wide safety improvements such as safety and security upgrades throughout buildings; technology enhancements, upgrades and devices; modernized furniture and additional new buses.
More information can be found at the Kentwood bond website.
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• Program pairs mentors with high-school students
