GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Grand Rapids Public School District is showcasing its reimagined future for the first time ever. Dozens gathered to see what the district is planning as it charts its path forward with a brand-new school on the northeast side. It's the first in that area in 60 years.
Several parents shared their excitement after seeing the renderings.
“Very exciting. I think it's really cool,” Renae Hurtman said.
GRPS’s future for the city’s northeast side was on full display Tuesday inside Aberdeen Academy’s gym as the district presented renderings.
“It's a beautiful architecture that they have going on. Everything that they're going to bring in from this building and Palmer to make sure that they still have that remembrance going on here, is really cool,” Hurtman said.
Renae, her husband, and their four-month-old, Julian, walked the halls of an almost 100-year-old school building, hoping to see the district's future.
"We can walk him to school every day. He can walk home from school every day. So, yeah, we were just really excited,” Hurtman added. “We were excited when we got the thing in the mail saying that they were going to be redoing this school. We were really excited that he would potentially be going to a new school.”
This is part of the Reimagine GRPS facility plan over the next several years. This project is possible after voters approved a 20-year, $305 million dollar bond proposal in 2023. The budget for this project is $38.7 million. The new elementary will educate 450 scholars. The building incorporates open concept areas and plenty of sunlight.
“Aberdeen was going to close, we heard community feedback over the year. ‘Plan doesn't work for us,’ and so we shifted and realized we wanted to keep a school on this site,” GRPS Communications Director Luke Stier said. “In these renderings, are just inspiring, inspiring learning spaces for our staff and our scholars to collaborate with each other and succeed."
The $350 million will also be spent on upgrading several schools over the next several years.
- Ken-O-Sha Park will be completely renovated with a new environmental science program and an International Baccalaureate Global Studies program.
- Montessori will get a number of renovations.
- Mulick Park Elementary and Campus Elementary will see major renovations.
- Aberdeen’s new building will go right next to the old one.
“There's a big field back there, so that the school will be built there. Learning will continue uninterrupted here during construction. Once that building is open, this building will be demolished to make way for the new bus loops, parking lot, parrot drop off, and also some green space,” Stier added.
The presentation didn't showcase the name of the new elementary, but it did have "GRPS Elementary School" located near the front entrance. Hurtman explained her son's future looks bright.
“It's so exciting to know that at four months old, he's really going to be part of this process from the ground up,” Hurtman added.
GRPS says they hope this school will be open by 2027.
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