By Joshua T. Rothwell
Superintendent
Kingsley Area Schools
Dear Kingsley Community,
As we close out 2024, I want to say thank you to every student, staff, and community member that has welcomed me into our school community.
This marks my second year as Superintendent. It has been a surreal homecoming for me as a lifelong Kingsley native and resident. It’s where I graduated from high school, it’s where I started my career as a third grade teacher, and it’s where I’m raising my two daughters.
Over the years, many things have changed in our community, but one thing has always remained true: Kingsley is the best place for our kids to go to school and for folks to raise their families.
I’m excited to announce that our Board of Education intends to place a proposal authorizing the issuance of school bonds on the May 2025 ballot.
This Bond proposal would address infrastructure. Simply put: we are at capacity now. Our schools are out of space. The proposal would allow us to build new spaces for academics, athletics, and the arts.
Several of our most critical spacing issues are the following:
Elementary teachers and students are doing classroom interventions and one-on-one work inside custodial rooms and closets.
Our preschool classes are housed inside a portable building that has surpassed its lifespan.
Choir, band, and athletic programs are competing for limited gym space and time, while our musicians and artists lack a dedicated performance area.
Upgraded facilities would benefit our students while also serving the broader Kingsley community, providing public access to new, state-of-the-art facilities like gymnasiums and fitness centers.
This Bond proposal would also help us better secure our buildings. Many of our facilities, particularly in our elementary and middle schools, are outdated.
Improved infrastructure could help us implement modern security measures, such
as secure vestibules and updated access systems.
We recognize this may be a significant request, and we approach it with the utmost responsibility.
Furthermore, I assure you that the school board and I are working diligently to allocate general fund dollars for essential repairs - like HVAC renovations and roofs - so that bond funding can be preserved for expanding student spaces.
Next Steps
This fall, Kingsley Area Schools partnered with Clark Construction to conduct a comprehensive site assessment and prioritize needs. Once we have gathered extensive feedback from our community stakeholders, renderings will be available in the new year, offering a vision of the potential enhancements for our district.
Transparency and open communication will be our highest priority as we move through this process. You can find all of the information at kingsleyschools.org/2025bond. We will also be updating the community regularly via our Facebook, Instagram, and Kingsley Connection newsletter.
We Want to Hear from You
Every third Thursday of the month from 8:30-9:30 AM, I will be hosting Coffee Chats at the Kingsley Library. This is an open forum to ask questions and learn more.
We will be hosting several community forums and meetings to solicit feedback and ideas about how we could use bond funds. What do you want to see in our schools?
Upcoming Informational Events
Wednesday, December 4
@6:30-7:30PM
Kingsley Elementary
Ms. Ackerly’s Room
Wednesday, December 11
@6:30-7:30PM
Middle School Cafeteria
Wednesday, December 18
@6:30-7:30PM
High School Media Center
Coffee Chat with Superintendent Joshua T. Rothwell
Thursday, December 19
@8:30-9:30AM
Kingsley Branch Library
Anonymous Community Survey
We want to hear your feedback. Share your thoughts on an anonymous online survey COMING SOON.
Sincerely,
Joshua T. Rothwell
