Gobles Public Schools

Gobles Public Schools
Address
409 North State Street[1]
Gobles
, Van Buren County, Michigan, 49055
United States
District information
GradesPreKindergarten–12[2]
SuperintendentJames Wiseley[3]
Schools3[2]
Budget$12,236,000 2022-2023 expenditures[2]
NCES District ID2616050[2]
Students and staff
Students786 (2024-2025)[2]
Teachers53.6 (on an FTE basis) (2024-2025)[2]
Staff102.3 FTE (2024-2025)[2]
Student–teacher ratio14.66 (2024-2025)[2]
District mascotTigers[1]
Other information
Websitewww.gobles.org

Gobles Public Schools is a public school district in West Michigan. In Van Buren County, it serves Gobles and parts of the townships of Almena, Bloomingdale, Pine Grove, and Waverly.[4] It also serves a small part of Trowbridge Township in Allegan County.[5]

History

A wooden building housed Gobles High School when its first class graduated in 1894.[6] A new two-story brick school was built in 1909.[7] In 1953, the state fire marshal told the school board that the building needed repairs, and they chose to build additions at the district's newer school, currently the middle/high school, and close the 1909 building.[8] The expanded school, which included all grades, opened in fall 1954.[9] By 1955, enrollment was growing quickly and stood at 571 students, and a one-room schoolhouse had to be employed for the overflow.[10]

Gobles Elementary was dedicated on December 17, 1961, the same month that it opened to students.[11] Guido A. Binda of Battle Creek was the architect.[12] During that school year, the district had 787 students.[13]

Additions were completed in January 1968 at both schools in the district. That year, enrollment was at 995 students.[14]

The junior/senior high school was overcrowded by 1977, and the nine portable classrooms in use were inadequate and expensive to heat. A bond issue to build a new high school failed that spring, and another failed in 1978.[15][16]

Meanwhile, the rivalrous pranks and vandalism between Gobles High School and Bloomingdale High School students reached a crisis on September 27, 1978, when some Gobles students drove to Bloomingdale High and struck principal Paul Storm with their car. Storm was in critical condition for several days, although the students were not charged, and Storm recovered. Both districts held assemblies to try to cool the situation. A varsity football game between the schools was cancelled.[17]

Between 2002 and 2023, $45.47 million in construction bonds were approved. [18] The 2023 bond funded reconstruction of part of the middle/high school and renovations at both of the district's school buildings.[19]

Schools

Schools in Gobles Public Schools district share a campus at 409 North State Street in Gobles.

Schools in Gobles Public Schools district[1][2]
SchoolNotes
Gobles Middle/High SchoolGrades 6-12
Gobles ElementaryGrades PreK-6
Gobles Virtual AcademyOnline school for grades K-12

References

  1. 1 2 3 Gobles Public Schools. "Gobles Public Schools". Retrieved March 23, 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Gobles Public Schools". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences.
  3. ↑ Gobles Public Schools. "Superintendent's Welcome". Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  4. ↑ Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget. Van Buren County School Districts (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Lansing: Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  5. ↑ Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget. Allegan County School Districts (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Lansing: Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  6. ↑ Editorial staff (1977). The Claw 1976–1977 (Yearbook). Gobles High School. p. 2.
  7. ↑ "Rickman to build new Gobles school". Kalamazoo Gazette. November 6, 1908. p. 11.
  8. ↑ "New Gobles school plan under study". Kalamazoo Gazette. March 28, 1953. p. 16.
  9. ↑ "New Gobles school open for full day classwork". The Herald-Palladium. Benton Harbor, Michigan. September 21, 1954. p. 12.
  10. ↑ "New Gobles school already jammed". The Herald-Palladium. Benton Harbor, Michigan. September 9, 1955. p. 22.
  11. ↑ "Dedicate new Gobles school". The Herald-Palladium. Benton Harbor, Michigan. December 18, 1961. p. 15.
  12. ↑ "Bids wanted for an elementary school building for Gobles Public Schools". Grand Rapids Press. March 19, 1961. p. 26.
  13. ↑ "New Gobles school unit progressing". Kalamazoo Gazette. September 12, 1961. p. 11.
  14. ↑ "New additions going up for students in Gobles Schools". Kalamazoo Gazette. August 6, 1967. p. 25.
  15. ↑ "Gobles to vote again on high school plan". Kalamazoo Gazette. December 13, 1977. p. D1.
  16. ↑ "Gobles rejects building plan". Kalamazoo Gazette. March 24, 1978. p. D1.
  17. ↑ Thinnes, Tom (October 18, 1978). "Towns attempt to cool boiling sports rivalry". Jackson Citizen Patriot. p. A9.
  18. ↑ Michigan Department of Treasury. "State Qualified School Bond Election Results Van Buren County: Gobles Public School District". Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  19. ↑ Miller, Aya (May 15, 2025). "$27 million in renovations ready to begin at Gobles Public Schools". Kalamazoo Gazette. p. A7.
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