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January 9, 2026
GLPS Families:
Welcome back from the winter break, and Happy New Year! It was wonderful to see all of your students this week, and we are happy to be learning and growing together again. We started this week with a staff professional learning day, which provided our team with an opportunity to check in on our progress and continue to collaborate around the work we are doing to help improve learning outcomes for our students. In fact, WILX ran a Schools Rule segment this morning on our professional development plan and how it intersects with our calendar. We appreciate your feedback around our schedule, and want to remind you that next year’s calendar is live on the district website already so you can make plans for your family well in advance.
Speaking of plans, on October 31st, in my family message I wrote:
Over the last couple of months, we have also started the process of looking at all of our facilities through the lens of current and future needs. As good stewards of the community’s resources, we have developed a facilities management plan, as well as an overall vision for continued facility upkeep and enhancements, as outlined in this presentation we shared with the Board of Education in August and October. These slides show the projects that we have completed and are continuing to complete with the current bond funds, and they lay out current and future needs that can be addressed with sinking fund, general fund, and capital fund dollars, as well as potential future dollars. To help us plan next steps, we have actually sent out an RFP for architect and construction manager support. This will allow us to prioritize projects and maximize resources as we strive to maintain the wonderful new facilities that we built with the current bond project, update facilities that have not yet received attention, and plan for the future.
At the board meeting on Monday night, we will be taking the next step in the planning process as the board considers the outcome of the RFP processes and considers architectural and construction management partners to help us plan next steps in the coming months and beyond. Stay tuned, as we will continue to communicate with you about the progress we are making with our current bond projects, as well as with future planning for district facilities.
Finally, January is School Board Recognition Month, and I want to take this opportunity to thank the Grand Ledge Public Schools Board of Education for their service to our students, schools, families, and community. The GLPS BOE truly cares about the success of GLPS, and they are dedicated to not only holding me accountable to carry out the mission, vision, and beliefs in our strategic plan, but also to support the work of the district through our policies. As a board and as individuals, they are curious, engaged, and driven to do what is best for our school community.
I greatly appreciate the opportunity to work with you and your students every day, and I appreciate your support. GLPS is a wonderful place to learn and grow, and as always, I am #proudtobeacomet!
Dr. Bill Barnes
Superintendent of Schools
