Kelloggsville — About 30 minutes before the end of the school day at Central Kelloggsville Elementary, cars begin lining up along Montebello Street and Jefferson Avenue SE as parents prepare to pick up their children.
The situation has created a safety concern the district hopes to address, along with other district-wide needs, with its $38.1 million bond proposal on the Nov. 3 ballot. Improved security, new classrooms and tennis courts, and infrastructure such as roof replacement would also be funded if voters approve the request.
The bond would not increase taxes because the district’s 2018 bond expires in 2027. The district estimates the 2027 debt millage rate would be 2.15 mills if the bond is approved.
“For 170 years, the community has been supportive in meeting the needs of our students,” Superintendent Jim Alston said. “This bond is the next step in continuing to allow our students to soar.”
In 2025, the district conducted a facilities assessment and used the findings to guide conversations about priorities and long-term planning, Alston said.
Those priorities include district-wide investments in furniture, technology and safety upgrades designed to improve classroom environments, instructional resources and security systems. The proposal also would strengthen the district’s technology infrastructure.
West Kelloggsville Slated for Renovation
The largest investment in the bond would be at West Kelloggsville Elementary. Built in 1950, it serves students in kindergarten through second grade.
“The goal is to modernize our oldest school building and create greater consistency in learning environments, safety features, traffic patterns and student spaces across our elementary schools,” Alston said.
- The bond would pay to move West Kelloggsville’s entrance to the southeast corner of the building to create a more secure entryway, Alston said. The classroom wing also would be moved to extend along the west side of the building, creating a natural enclosure for the school’s playground area.
- The playground would be renovated with a focus on creating an inclusive, age-appropriate space. Improvements would include new playground equipment and green space.
- The former classroom wing would be removed, with four classrooms remodeled and a STEM classroom added to the east side of the building near the current office. The school also would have a stand-alone lunchroom; currently, the gym and lunchroom share the same space.
- In addition, West would receive a new bus loop and a separate parent drop-off and pick-up loop, similar to the traffic-flow improvements completed at Southeast Kelloggsville Elementary through an $11.3 million bond approved by voters in 2021.
“Separating bus traffic from parent vehicles is an important part of improving both the safety and efficiency at West,” Alston said.
Improved Traffic Flow at Central Kelloggsville
The bond would also pay for major improvements at Central Kelloggsville Elementary, including:
- At the Central Kelloggsville Elementary and Kelloggsville Middle School campus, eight tennis courts that are too old to repair would be removed to make way for a new, improved parent pick-up and drop-off lane on district property, reducing reliance on city streets, Alston said.
- Central’s playground and green space would be expanded, and new pickleball and tennis courts would be added for community use and physical education classes.
- The district’s main tennis facility would be relocated to 52nd Street in front of the administration building. The project would include a new, competition-level tennis complex, along with storage, shaded areas and restrooms for players and spectators.
If the bond is approved, construction would begin in 2028 and be completed in 2031.
The district will host a community forum to discuss the proposal at 6 p.m. Oct. 20 at Central Kelloggsville Elementary, 4625 Jefferson Ave. SE.
Any registered voter in the school district can vote on the proposal. Polls will be open Nov. 3 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters can visit Michigan Voter Information for details about their voting location and other voting options.
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