Superintendent
Hudsonville Public Schools
3886 Van Buren
Hudsonville, MI 49426
Phone: (616) 669-1740
Fax: (616) 669-4878
Superintendent
Dr. Douglas VanderJagt
Dear Hudsonville Families,
Spring always brings a renewed sense of energy to our schools. After a long Michigan winter, it has been great to see students back outside and spring activities getting underway. Our calendars are filling up with concerts, performances, competitions, and end-of-year celebrations. For our seniors, these next few months will move quickly as they wrap up their time at HPS and look ahead to the next chapter. At the same time, our youngest students are growing and learning in ways that remind us how quickly a school year goes by. This time of year reminds us why our work matters and how fortunate we are to be part of such a supportive school community.
As the seasons change, we are also planning for the 2026–2027 school year. Our administrative team is already working through staffing needs. We are also preparing for the arrival of new families who have chosen Hudsonville Public Schools for its strong academic programs, exceptional fine arts, unparalleled athletic programs, and supportive community. These early preparations help ensure another successful year for our students and staff.
At the same time, we are also looking ahead to the future direction of our district. After several focus groups with students, parents, community leaders, and staff, we are finalizing a districtwide survey to guide the development of SOAR VI (Strategic Objectives to Achieve Results), our next three-year strategic plan. The conversations we had during those focus groups provided valuable insight into what our community believes is most important for Hudsonville Public Schools moving forward. The upcoming strategic planning survey will allow us to gather even broader feedback as we shape our next set of district priorities. Please watch for the SOAR VI survey later in April and consider taking a few minutes to share your perspective. Your input will play an important role in shaping the future direction of HPS.
As we look ahead, we are also approaching an important milestone with the facilities projects funded by the November 2019 bond. Nearly all the work is now complete. Final punch list items are being addressed this spring. The bond investment made a significant impact across the district. It allowed us to construct the new high school fieldhouse. Now, the entire high school student body can be accommodated. This was not possible in the previous gym. The two high school campuses were connected, providing new classrooms and office space. There is now increased confidentiality for students in our counseling suite. We created new learning spaces and made significant improvements at Bauer, Forest Grove, and Park Elementary. We also built a new 5/6 building on the north side to address overcrowding. This avoided having to redistrict and move students throughout the district. We replaced several roofs and parking lots, upgraded technology, and added enhanced safety and security measures across our campuses. All this was accomplished while keeping our promise to the community by completing the work with a zero millage increase.
With these projects coming to a close, we have begun discussing the next phase of facility improvements at Hudsonville Public Schools. Maintaining safe, modern learning environments remains a priority. Feedback from bond planning focus groups and last fall's districtwide survey revealed several clear themes. Safety and security, updated learning environments, and continued building improvements remain top priorities for parents, staff, and the community. This includes adding air conditioning to uncooled learning spaces, updating classroom and building furniture, improving playgrounds, and continuing discussions on how to plan for growth in our district. We are committed to creating more learning spaces for our youngest students and expanding Career and Technical Education access for secondary students. Ongoing facility planning includes targeted athletic and extracurricular updates to outdoor spaces, such as improvements on the Riley/Jamestown campus, upgrades to existing fields, and the addition of an indoor multipurpose field. This field will support student use during the school day, fine arts programs, and broaden community access. As we move forward, we remain diligent with community resources and honor the trust the community has placed in us. The Board of Education is pursuing a bond proposal with no millage rate increase, and we look forward to providing more details later this spring.
Spring is also a time to celebrate our students' many talents. One event I hope you will consider attending is our Annual Art Showcase, scheduled for the week of May 4 at the High School Fieldhouse. It is a great opportunity to see our students' creativity and hard work on display. Each elementary building has selected specific evenings to showcase student artwork. Please check your building’s calendar for those dates and stop by if you can.
This time of year also reminds us how supportive the Hudsonville community is. Whether you attend events, volunteer, or simply cheer on our students, your involvement makes a difference. Thank you for the continued trust you place in Hudsonville Public Schools.
Dr. VanderJagt
Superintendent