Ovid-Elsie Area Schools

Ovid-Elsie Area Schools
Address
8989 E. Colony Rd.[1]
, Clinton County, Michigan, 48831
United States
District information
MottoA world-class school district.[1]
GradesPre-Kindergarten-12
SuperintendentMark Horak[2]
Schools5[3]
Budget$20,701,000 2021-2022 expenditures[3]
NCES District ID2627150[3]
Students and staff
Students1,318 (2023-2024)[3]
Teachers79.29 (on an FTE basis) (2023-2024)[3]
Staff184.38 FTE (2023-2024)[3]
Student–teacher ratio16.62 (2023-2024)[3]
Other information
Websitewww.ovidelsie.org

Ovid-Elsie Area Schools is a public school district in Central Michigan.

Geographic Area

In Clinton County, it serves Elsie, Ovid, and parts of the townships of Duplain, Greenbush, Ovid, and Victor.[4] In Gratiot County, it serves parts of the townships of Elba and Washington. In Saginaw County, it serves part of Chapin Township. In Shiawassee County, it serves Fairfield Township and parts of the townships of Middlebury, Owosso, Rush, and Sciota.[5]

History

In 1866, Ovid's first school was established. In 1871, a brick school was built, but it burned in 1906. The rebuilt school, opened in 1907, burned down in 1925. It was also rebuilt. The district and its school, which also housed a high school, consolidated with Elsie's school district in 1964.[6][7] Elsie has had a high school since at least 1901, when that year's graduating ceremony was discussed in a local newspaper.[8]

Elsie and Ovid's districts consolidated in spring 1964.[6] In 1965, construction began on the new high school, and Leonard Elementary, as well.[9] The existing Ovid and Elsie high schools were converted into junior high buildings, and the existing grade schools were expanded.[10] Students and staff moved into the new high school on March 10, 1967.[11] The district celebrated open houses and dedications for the new schools on October 1, 1967.[12]

On April 4, 1978, the district began operating WOES-FM, which as of 2026 is the highest-powered high school radio station in the state.[13]

In 1986, a citizens' advisory council found that the junior high schools were greatly in need of repair and renovation.[14] On Friday, February 16, 1990, both schools were closed by the school board when inspections found that their roofs were in danger of collapse. The seventh and eighth grades moved to the high school site, some in portable classrooms.[15]

A new middle school was built on the site of the high school in 1996.[16]

Schools

Schools in Ovid-Elsie Area Schools district[3][1]
School Address Notes
Ovid-Elsie High School 8989 E. Colony Rd., Elsie Grades 9-12. Built 1967.[12]
Ovid-Elsie Middle School 4041 N. Hollister Rd., Elsie Grades 6-8. Built 1996.[16]
Leonard Elementary 732 Mabbitt Rd., Ovid Grades PreK-2. Built 1967.[12]
E.E. Knight Elementary 8989 E. Colony Rd., Elsie Grades 3-5
Ovid-Elsie Alternative High School 732 Mabbitt Rd., Ovid Grades 9-12. Shares a building with Leonard Elementary.

References

  1. ^ a b c Ovid-Elsie Area Schools. "Ovid-Elsie Area Schools". Retrieved January 2, 2026.
  2. ^ Ovid-Elsie Area Schools. "Staff". Retrieved January 2, 2026.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Ovid-Elsie Area Schools". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences.
  4. ^ Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget. "Clinton County School Districts" (PDF). Retrieved January 2, 2026.
  5. ^ Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget. "Shiawassee County School Districts" (PDF). Retrieved January 2, 2026.
  6. ^ a b Editorial staff of Ovid-Elsie High School yearbook. Legend 1967 (Ovid-Elsie High School yearbook). p. 1.
  7. ^ Clinton County Historical Society. "Ovid" (PDF). Retrieved January 2, 2026.
  8. ^ "West Fairfield". Owosso Times (Owosso, Mich.). May 31, 1901. p. 8.
  9. ^ "Population increases by five". Lansing State Journal. June 13, 1966. p. 22.
  10. ^ "Ovid-Elsie bond vote set for April 25". Lansing State Journal. March 21, 1966. p. 8.
  11. ^ "Ovid-Elsie move date March 10". Lansing State Journal. March 3, 1967. p. 20.
  12. ^ a b c Minsky, Betty Jane (October 1, 1967). "Ovid-Elsie High dedication event today". Lansing State Journal. p. H1.
  13. ^ Ovid-Elsie Area Schools. "Ovid-Elsie Community Radio - home of the Polka Palace!". Retrieved January 2, 2026.
  14. ^ Minsky, Betty Jane (September 17, 1986). "New Ovid-Elsie Middle School urged". Lansing State Journal. p. 5B.
  15. ^ Honore, Sharon (February 20, 1990). "Ovid-Elsie will bus students to high school, portables". Lansing State Journal. p. 11.
  16. ^ a b "Ground is broken for school Wednesday". Lansing State Journal. May 5, 1996. p. 14.