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December 5, 2025
GLPS Families,
We were happy to welcome students back into the buildings this week after Thanksgiving break! After an outstanding day of staff learning on Monday, we hit the ground running on Tuesday, with students engaged in their own learning across the district. The cold weather hit, too, bringing with it snow, ice, and below-average temperatures.
As we all know, this is the time of year when cold and flu season hits, and keeping students healthy so they can be in school and learning is important. To those ends, I thought that this would be a good time to remind you about the Grand Ledge Public Schools Health Center, in partnership with University of Michigan Health-Sparrow and Eaton RESA. Located through door 20 by the baseball field at the high school, the health center is open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 8:00am to 4:30pm, Wednesday from 8:00am to 6:30pm, and Friday from 8:00am to 2:30pm for anyone ages 5-21, or up to 26 with an IEP. Any child can be seen at the center, regardless of insurance status, for a wide range of physical and mental health needs.
The health center has been in operation since the spring of 2024, and it has already had a tremendous impact on youth and families in our community.
- During the 2025 fiscal year, which ran from October 2024 to September 2025, the Health Center served 416 unique, individual, unduplicated patients, which is double the 208 patients served at the close of the 2024 fiscal year.
- There were nearly 900 office visits in the 2025 fiscal year, up from less than 300 in 2024.
- Our extensive investments in mental health supports across the district are clearly making an impact, as 89 students accessed mental health services at the center in the final quarter (Q4) of 2025 alone.
In our strategic plan, we state that our vision is that Grand Ledge Public Schools will provide every student a high-quality education and social development to reach their highest potential in a safe and inclusive environment. We believe in partnerships between the family, community, and education stakeholders for the success of GLPS. In addition, we believe the role of the school district is to provide support and access for all students. The Grand Ledge Public Schools Health Center, through its partnership with University of Michigan Health-Sparrow and Eaton RESA, is an embodiment of this vision and these beliefs. We appreciate our partners, we are glad we have the opportunity to serve our school community in this way, and we encourage you to keep the health center in mind for your child’s physical and mental health care needs this winter.
As I wrap up, I want to remind you about the Grand Ledge Night Lights Parade, which is a wonderful way for the community to welcome in the holiday season. For a list of events, check out the Grand Ledge Area Chamber of Commerce website, and look for the decorated GLPS bus, as well as a multitude of programs involving GLPS students, in the parade again this year! We value our connection to the greater Grand Ledge community, and we are proud to participate in the parade.
Thank you, as always, for giving us the opportunity to work with you and your children every day. We appreciate your support, and we appreciate all you do to help us make this such an outstanding school district. Have a great weekend; I am #proudtobeacomet!
Dr. Bill Barnes
Superintendent of Schools
