CommunityLink
Sturgis, MI
Education"Teaching Tomorrow's Future Today"
The Sturgis Public School District provides a high-quality education to more than 3,100 students who come from an 80-square-mile area, including not only the City of Sturgis, but also all of Sturgis and Fawn River townships and parts of Burr Oak and Sherman townships. Over 200 highly qualified teachers and administrators and 150 support staff continuously strive to improve academic skills, test scores and learning among students.
Recent renovations and building projects exemplify the community’s commitment to educating children. Sturgis High School, which houses grades nine through 12, has state-of-the-art technology, music and athletic facilities, along with classrooms that are conducive to learning in the 21st century. The newly built Sturgis Middle School opened in fall 2004 for students in grades six through eight. It is a source of pride for the school district as it, too, has excellent learning spaces for all students academically, athletically and in the arts. There are four elementary schools: Eastwood School serves students in grades three through six; Wall and Congress elementaries house students in grades kindergarten through two; and Wenzel elementary school is home to students in grades kindergarten through three. All of the buildings have air conditioning, infrastructure to support current technology, and updated equipment and materials.
All of the schools in the district are recognized as nationally accredited by the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges (NCA). NCA accreditation guarantees a standard of excellence and offers a proven process for increasing student performance. There is a district curriculum review cycle during which teachers analyze student achievement data, modify current curriculum and select supporting materials to teach the curriculum.
The district offers several unique opportunities for students, including an outdoor education program for fifth graders, swimming and rescue instruction at the Community Pool, clustering and accelerated classes for academic advancement in grades three through 12, a countywide consortium of vocational education programs for high school students, and English as a second language services in all school buildings.
Sturgis youth have earned countless honors in many activities, including band and orchestra, sports, drama, student government, and several academic clubs. Sturgis students continue to score above average on state achievement tests and national tests like the ACT and the SAT.
Parental involvement is strong in Sturgis schools. The Parent Advisory Council and booster programs offer a chance for parents to become more involved in their child’s education.
Another unique learning program in Sturgis pairs businesses and students for the benefit of all and promotes the teaching of “employability” skills. The Sturgis Area Business/Education Alliance (SAB/EA) hosts a biannual career fair and sponsors other programs, including a business partner program and job shadowing, to bring students and local businesses together. The program is designed to create and sustain partnerships between the school system and local employers to promote the school system to business, to promote the community to students, and to give students the tools they need to best choose the career path that fits them. SAB/EA began in 1994 and has been highly successful.
The St. Joseph County Intermediate School District offers special education programs to assist those with any type of impairment in reaching their full potential.
Howe Military School is located just four miles south of Sturgis in Howe, Indiana. The school emphasizes academics, citizenship, and spiritual and physical education.
Several fine parochial schools are also located in Sturgis, including:
• Holy Angels Catholic School, offering classes for grades kindergarten through eight
• Lake Area Christian School, offering preschool for children aged 3 and 4 and classes for grades kindergarten through 12
• Nottawa Christian Day School, for grades one through 12
• St. John’s Lutheran School, offering preschool through grade eight
• Sturgis Christian School, for grades K through 12
• Trinity Lutheran School, offering preschool and grades kindergarten through eight
A number of church-affiliated and public day care facilities and preschools can also be found in the Sturgis area, along with after-school programs of various kinds.
Glen Oaks Community College provides a variety of educational opportunities to meet the needs of Southwest Michigan area high school graduates, nontraditional students seeking to upgrade their business and industry skills, and others interested in enrichment courses. Glen Oaks offers 11 associate’s degrees and 24 professional/technical certificates. Many students complete their first two years at Glen Oaks, then transfer to a college or university. Career fields range from business and nursing to machine tool technology and computer information systems. The Distance Learning Center at Glen Oaks also offers classes. These college credit courses are available via Internet, videotape or accelerated live classroom and lead to an associate’s, bachelor’s or master’s degree from several partner colleges. Glen Oaks also has articulation agreements with several colleges that offer bachelor’s degrees and classes at Glen Oaks.
Glen Oaks is located at 62249 Shimmel Road, Centreville, approximately eight miles from Sturgis on 300 acres of picturesque land donated by Nora Hagen, a retired Sturgis teacher. The central building houses classrooms, laboratories, vocational shops, computer classrooms, a student center, a bookstore, a theatre, a gymnasium, a fitness center and a library. The grounds also feature the Business Development Center, with an auditorium; the Nora Hagan House for conferences and meetings; baseball fields; tennis courts; and jogging and nature trails.
Glen Oaks was founded in 1965 and opened its doors in 1967. The college is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and is approved by the Michigan State Department of Education.
Glen Oaks’ main goal is to provide an excellent education that is challenging and of high quality. That goes for all students, whether they are attending academic classes full-time, attending an evening class, or learning new skills with business or lifelong learning classes. The experienced faculty and staff are unified in their desire to serve each and every student to the best of their ability. For more information, visit the Glen Oaks Community College Web site at www.glenoaks.edu.
Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo College, both in Kalamazoo; the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana; and Tri-State Universities in Angola, Indiana, are all located within 45 miles of Sturgis.
