Western School District
| Western School District | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
1400 South Dearing Road[1]
, Jackson, Michigan, 49269United States | |
| District information | |
| Grades | Pre-Kindergarten-12 |
| Superintendent | Mike Smajda[2] |
| Schools | 6[3] |
| Budget | $34,916,000 2021-2022 expenditures[3] |
| NCES District ID | 2635940[3] |
| Students and staff | |
| Students | 2,687 (2023-2024)[3] |
| Teachers | 148.67 (on an FTE basis) (2023-2024)[3] |
| Staff | 316.73 FTE (2023-2024)[3] |
| Student–teacher ratio | 18.07 (2023-2024)[3] |
| Other information | |
| Website | www |
Western School District is a public school district in Michigan. Located directly west of Jackson, Michigan in Jackson County, it serves Parma, part of Spring Arbor and parts of the townships of Blackman, Concord, Parma, Sandstone, Spring Arbor, Summit and Tompkins.[4]
History
By 1873, Parma had a union school district. The first class graduated that year from its high school, which was known as Parma Union High School.[5]
In 1958, districts west of Jackson, such as the Parma and Spring Arbor districts, consolidated to form Western School District. The cornerstone of the new high school was placed in 1959. Kingscott Associates was the architect. The school was expanded in 2004.[6]
Warner Elementary (built 1951), Parma Elementary (built 1953), and Bean Elementary (built 1960) were closed in 2026 and consolidated within the new Western Elementary. It opened on February 3, 2026.[7][8]
Schools
| School | Address | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Western High School | 1400 South Dearing Road, Parma | Grades 9-12. |
| Western Middle School | 1400 South Dearing Road, Parma | Grades 6-8. |
| Western Elementary School | 1399 S. Dearing Rd. Parma | Grades K-5. Built 2026.[8] |
| Western Career Prep High School | 3950 Catherine Street, Jackson | Housed at Woodville Community Center. Shares a building with preschool and child care programs. |
References
- ^ a b Western School District. "Western School District". Retrieved August 27, 2025.
- ^ Western School District. "District Administration". Retrieved August 27, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Western School District". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences.
- ^ Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget. "Jackson County School Districts" (PDF). Retrieved August 27, 2025.
- ^ Editorial staff of Parma Union High School yearbook. The Summit 1958 (Parma Union High School yearbook). p. 2.
- ^ Smith, Leanne (October 3, 2013). "Lost time capsule from 1960 found during new construction at Western High School". MLive.
- ^ Kulkulka, Mitchell (September 10, 2023). "Designs released for new elementary at Western schools". Jackson Citizen Patriot (Jackson, Mich.). p. A9.
- ^ a b Park, J. Scott (January 10, 2026). "Get a sneak peek inside Western's new elementary school". MLive.