Message from the Superintendent

Thank you for visiting the West Ottawa Public Schools web page. On these tabs and pages you will see the vibrant, diverse and comprehensive educational program that is West Ottawa. Whether you are currently part of the WO community, or searching for the premier educational experience in Ottawa County, you will find information in these tabs and pages to give you a sense of the opportunities at West Ottawa.

West Ottawa has a wide range of academic, athletic and artistic offerings for students with all interests. One of our hopes is that through our varied offerings students will discover a passion or aptitude that they might not have known they had. While we strive to prepare students who are College, Career and Life Ready, we want to cultivate graduates who are lifelong learners with a passion for experiencing, participating in and connecting through their learning experience.

On these pages we hope visitors will explore our diverse programmatic offerings including such unique programs as Spanish Immersion, Montessori, STEM, and early childhood programs at the elementary levels to our International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, comprehensive Advanced Placement offerings (more AP offerings than any school district in Ottawa County), wide-ranging career and technical education programs, and decorated performing and visual arts programs at the secondary levels. We believe that athletics and extracurricular activities are an extension of the classroom and invite you to also explore our highly competitive athletic offerings and wide variety of clubs and extracurricular programs for all ages.

At WO, we are constantly striving to provide our students a world class education experience, and our community has supported programs, facilities and initiatives for our students. This exciting time in our school’s history includes ambitious bond projects including the construction of a new Performing Arts Center, a new state of the art stadium, renovations to Harbor Lights Middle School, a complete make-over of Pine Creek Elementary, classroom additions and upgrades throughout the district, and much, much more.

We invite you to explore these web pages, but to really get a sense of all that’s available at West Ottawa Public Schools, we urge you to contact our administrative offices to arrange a personal tour of facilities and programs available. For a personal appointment, please contact my administrative assistant Vanessa Rincon at Rinconv@westottawa.net or (616) 786-2099 and we will coordinate a conversation, visit and / or tour with the appropriate school administrator.

Beyond all of the programs and facilities, the best of West Ottawa Public Schools is in the extraordinary people who make up our student body, community and staff. We welcome you to Panther Country!

Go WO!

Best,

Tim Bearden
Superintendent of Schools
West Ottawa Public Schools