Wayland Union Schools


Wayland Union Schools is a public school district in West Michigan. In Allegan County, it serves Wayland and parts of Dorr Township, Hopkins Township, Leighton Township, and Wayland Township. In Barry County, it serves part of Yankee Springs Township. In Kent County it serves part of Byron Township.

History

As of 1884, a Union School was providing education in Wayland. According to the Grand Rapids Eagle that year, "The Wayland Union School is a live institution in a live little village and the citizens take a lively interest in educational matters."
In 1940, members of the Wayland school community were considering consolidating further with primary school districts in the surrounding townships, based on the examples of Kellogg Agricultural High School and Thornapple Kellogg School District. Later that month, voters in the district petitioned the Will Keith Kellogg Child Welfare Foundation, precursor to the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, to financially assist in consolidating and building a new school, as it had helped the other districts. The foundation offered $150,000, which voters agreed to combine with $30,000 in bond issues for construction. The new building, which included all grades and the high school, was under construction by 1941. The architect was Lewis J. Sarvis of Battle Creek, Michigan.
The current high school was built in 1973, and the 1941 building became a middle school. In February 1996, the district unveiled an expansion and renovation at the high school. The current middle school was completed in fall, 1996. The 1941 building is currently Pine Street Elementary.
In 2010, a performing arts center with an 800-seat auditorium opened at the high school.

Schools