Saugatuck Public Schools
| Saugatuck Public Schools | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
401 Elizabeth St.[1]
, Allegan County, Michigan, 49453United States | |
| District information | |
| Grades | PreKindergarten–12[1] |
| Superintendent | Mark Neidlinger[2] |
| Schools | 2[3] |
| Budget | $22,340,000 2021-2022 expenditures[3] |
| NCES District ID | 2630960[3] |
| Students and staff | |
| Students | 819 (2024-2025)[3] |
| Teachers | 53.32 (on an FTE basis) (2024-2025)[3] |
| Staff | 100.46 FTE (2024-2025)[3] |
| Student–teacher ratio | 15.36 (2024-2025)[3] |
| Other information | |
| Website | saugatuckpublicschools |
Saugatuck Public Schools is a public school district in Allegan County, in West Michigan. It serves Saugatuck, Douglas, and parts of the townships of Laketown and Saugatuck.[4]
History
One of the oldest schools within the district's current boundaries is still extant. The Douglas Union School at 130 Center Street in Douglas was built in 1866. It contained a high school until the 1920s, when Douglas' high school students started attending Saugatuck High School. Douglas Union School was closed and sold in 1957, when the current Douglas Elementary opened.[5] As a well-preserved example of a multi-classroom union school, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.[6]
Saugatuck had a similar Union School, at the corner of Elizabeth and Allegan Streets, and Saugatuck High School was established within it around 1887. It burned down in 1896.[7]
Douglas and Saugatuck school districts merged in 1963.[8] In fall 1974, the current Saugatuck Middle/High School opened and the previous high school (built in 1927 and expanded in 1951) was torn down.[9] The building's architecture firm was Vander Meiden, Koteles and Associates.[10] A middle school wing and other additions were added to the high school around 2002.[11]
The district considered changing its "Indians" mascot in 2009, but after hosting a community forum about the issue, chose to keep it. In 2020 the issue was reexamined, and that August the school board voted unanimously to change the nickname, in an effort to avoid racist and offensive stereotypes associated with Native American imagery.[12] In August 2021, rebranding of the district was complete, with "Trailblazers" as the new mascot and a new logo featuring a trail heading toward the sun, symbolic of "inspiration and intuition" and "moving forward as one."[13]
Additions and extensive renovations were completed at the district's schools in 2025.[14][15]
Schools
| School | Address | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Saugatuck Middle/High School | 401 Elizabeth Street, Saugatuck | Grades 6–12; built 1974[9] |
| Douglas Elementary | 261 West Randolph Street, Douglas | Grades PreK–6 |
References
- ^ a b c Saugatuck Public Schools. "Saugatuck Public Schools". Retrieved February 26, 2026.
- ^ Saugatuck Public Schools. "Staff Directory". Retrieved February 26, 2026.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Saugatuck Public Schools". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences.
- ^ Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget. Allegan County School Districts (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Lansing: Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget. Retrieved February 26, 2026.
- ^ "School ends in 1868 building". The Grand Rapids Press. June 3, 1957. p. 20.
- ^ National Park Service. "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, Douglas Union School" (PDF). Retrieved February 26, 2026.
- ^ Editorial staff (1987). Celebration '87 (Yearbook). Saugatuck High School. p. 20.
- ^ "Constantine, Bangor turn down school bond issues". Kalamazoo Gazette. May 14, 1963. p. 23.
- ^ a b "Saugatuck's $1.75 million junior-senior high school". The Holland Sentinel. September 21, 1974. p. 3.
- ^ Editorial staff (1975). The Compass Nineteen Hundred Seventy Five (Yearbook). Saugatuck High School. p. 1.
- ^ Editorial staff (2002). The Compass 2001–2002 (Yearbook). Saugatuck High School. p. 2.
- ^ Frick, Melissa (August 20, 2020). "In search of a new name". The Grand Rapids Press. p. A1.
- ^ Boatman, Mitchell (August 19, 2021). "Saugatuck reveals new Trailblazers logos, branding". Grand Haven Tribune. p. A3.
- ^ Boatman, Mitchell (September 4, 2024). "See the latest renovations to Saugatuck Middle and High School on Sept. 10". Holland Sentinel.
- ^ Boatman, Mitchell (November 28, 2025). "Bond work complete in Saugatuck, creating 'modern, flexible' spaces". Holland Sentinel.