HOLLAND, Mich. — Holland Public Schools has opened Holland Heights Elementary, an approximately $21 million, 73,000-square-foot nature-based school that brings a unique approach to learning for 300 pre-K through fifth-grade students in Holland, Michigan.
WATCH: Holland Heights Elementary opens as Holland Public Schools' new nature-based learning hub
The school held a ribbon cutting Aug. 16, marking the end of a two-year wait for students, families, and staff who had been temporarily housed at Longfellow Elementary.
"We now are coming back to our home," Principal Kevin Derr said.
Holland Heights is built around a nature-based education philosophy, developed through a four-year partnership with the Outdoor Discovery Center. Derr said the approach benefits a wide range of learners.
"Everybody learns differently, and it's been fun to watch kids that might struggle in the classroom academically, and you bring them outside, and they become the leader because they have maybe some different experiences and a different skill set," Derr said.
That philosophy is reflected throughout the building and its grounds.
"Our playground reflects that with a lot of natural tall grasses around the playground. Some of the equipment is in that realm. A lot of outdoor learning spaces on site, so teachers don't have to go off-site, even though we are off-site once a week for a couple of hours," Derr said.
The facility was funded by the community through a bond proposal passed in 2021.
"We are a two-section building. This is built for three, so we'll be adding another one in a year or so when Jefferson splits up," Derr said.
Holland Heights is part of Holland Public Schools' five-year facility plan, which includes redistricting and consolidating elementary programs by 2027 into 3 buildings: nature-based Holland Heights, West Elementary, and Holland Language Academy.
Under the current proposal, Jefferson Elementary would be renovated in 2027 and reopen in 2028 as the new site for Holland Language Academy, giving the school more room for classrooms, outdoor play areas and parking than its current campus can accommodate.
For families like Hahna and Wendall Kimbrough, whose daughters Isa and Gwyn will attend Holland Heights, the school's nature-based focus was the deciding factor.
"We're big fans of outdoor and nature-based education, and so we are school choice. Gwyn was most recently at an ODC preschool, and so she'll be starting kindergarten here," Hahna said. "Similarly, our daughter Isa did an outdoor nature-based preschool, and we wanted her to be back outside as much as possible."
After touring the facility, the Kimbroughs said the space immediately stood out for its design.
"We love it. The light is so great, and we love the spoke and hub layout and the attention to safety and detail," Hahna said.
As the new school year approaches, they said they're confident in what Holland Heights has to offer.
"We've really loved Holland Heights. We're glad that they kept it small because we love our teachers. We love the class sizes and the ratio of kids to grown-ups here. We love Mr. Derr and the way he's led this school," Hahna said. "We've had such great experiences in first and second grade that we can't wait for who we're paired with this year and feel really confident it'll be an excellent year."
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