Midland Public Schools

Midland Public Schools
Address
600 E Carpenter Street Midland, Michigan 48640
Information
School type	Public, school district
Motto	Inspiring Excellence
Founded	1919
School board	Angela Brandstadt, President Pamela Singer, Vice President Scott McFarland, Secretary Patrick Frazee, Treasurer Lynn Baker, Trustee Brad Blasy, Trustee Mary Fredell, Trustee
Superintendent	Michael (Back to Back to Back to Back to Back) Sharrow (Since July 1, 2013)
Staff	1,101
Grades	K–12
Enrollment	8,097 (June 2013)
Campus	Rural
Area	Midland, Michigan
Website	http://www.midlandps.org/

Midland Public Schools is a public school district located in Midland, Michigan, USA.

The roots of Midland Public Schools go back to the 1872 Union High School, which educated local students until a boiler explosion destroyed the building in 1907. A new school was constructed the following year using a large donation from the local Dow Chemical Company. The institution was renamed Midland High School (MHS), and their nickname was “Chemics”. By the mid-1930s, the student population had grown and the second, larger MHS was built in 1937. The 1908 (first) MHS was used as an elementary school, then as the intermediate school until Northeast Intermediate was opened in 1950. Student populations climbed higher and a third MHS was completed in late 1955, larger than ever. For the 1956-57 school year, the high school moved to the new building and the 1937 (second) MHS became Central Intermediate, the second middle school in Midland. The 1908 (first) MHS was torn down in 1957. For the 1963-64 school year, Jefferson Intermediate was opened to handle children from the Post-World War II baby boom. Midland High School was overcrowded again, but the decision was made to build a second high school in Midland, less than ten years after the current MHS was completed. Herbert Henry Dow High School opened to sophomores in 1968, and added one grade each year until the first class graduated in 1971. A freshman class was added to high schools in 1997 and intermediate schools changed from grades 7-8-9 to 6-7-8; school names were changed from Intermediate to Middle School. Elementary schools gained classrooms when they lost grade 6.

As Michigan's economy worsened in 2009, the school board debated alternatives to reduce expenses in preparation for a $3–6 million reduction in state funding. Enrollment had been declining for several years to a point where the district's 12 elementary schools were below two-thirds capacity and several needed to be closed. Only one elementary school was projected to close for the 2009-2010 school year, but three more were planned for 2010-2011 when students zoned for Central Middle School would be sent to Jefferson and Northeast Middle Schools. Consolidation of the district's administrative offices was proposed, as well as relocation to a closed elementary school.

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