West Ottawa Public Schools is a public school district in Ottawa County, Michigan. It serves a suburban and exurban area between Holland and Grand Haven. The district includes most of Park, Olive, Port Sheldon and Holland townships.
History For decades, thirteen small K-8 districts north of Lake Macatawa had sent their children to Holland High School. However, in 1956, a study by Michigan State University found this area was growing faster than Holland. In response, the Holland school board demanded that the northern areas fully merge into Holland Public Schools. Instead, in 1957, they voted to cut all ties with Holland Public Schools and merge into a single K-12 district in order to have a high school of their own. High school students held classes at the Beechwood school from 1958 until Suburban High School, later renamed West Ottawa High School, was completed in fall 1961. The building became Harbor Lights Middle School when a new high school was built.
In 1999, a middle school was built at 3600 152nd Avenue. It became West Ottawa High School South when High School North opened on the same site in fall 2005. The middle school program housed there, Harbor Lights Middle School, moved to the former high school. North and South high schools are one high school in two separate buildings on the same campus. High School North's architect was Design Plus/Progressive Architecture and Engineering.
West Ottawa's football stadium opened in fall 2022, replacing a smaller facility. Costing $20-$25 million, it seats about 7,000 and also features an adjacent soccer stadium. In 2023, it was recognized as the top multi-field stadium in the country by American Sports Builders Association and was ranked as one of the best high school stadiums in Michigan by The Detroit News.
In 2024, a 1,200-seat auditorium opened at High School North.
Schools + Schools in West Ottawa Public Schools district School Address Notes Riley Farms Elementary 2612 120th Ave., Holland Grades K-5. Opening fall 2025. Woodside Elementary 2591 N. Division Ave., Holland Grades PreK-5 Waukazoo Elementary 1294 W. Lakewood Blvd., Holland Grades PreK-5 Sheldon Woods Elementary 15050 Blair, West OliveGrades PreK-5 Pine Creek Elementary 1184 136th Ave., Holland Grades PreK-5 North Holland Elementary 11946 New Holland St., Holland Grades K-5 Lakewood Elementary 2134 W. Lakewood Blvd., Holland Grades PreK-5 Lakeshore Elementary 3765 N. 168 Ave., Holland Grades PreK-5 Great Lakes Elementary 3200 152nd Ave., Holland Grades PreK-5 West Ottawa High School 3685 Buttnernut Dr., Holland Grades 9-12. Consists of High School North and High School South on a single campus. The Dunes Alternative High School 3685 Butternut Dr., Holland Grades 9-12. Housed in West Ottawa High School North. Harbor Lights Middle School 1024 136th Ave., Holland Grades 6-8. Built 1961, formerly West Ottawa High School. Macatawa Bay Middle School 3700 140th Ave., Holland Grades 6-8
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