Columbia School District (Michigan)

Columbia School District
Address
11775 Hewitt Road[1]
Brooklyn
, Jackson County, Michigan, 49230
United States
District information
GradesPre-Kindergarten-12
SuperintendentJim Baker[2]
Schools4[3]
Budget$19,567,000 2021-2022 expenditures[3]
NCES District ID2606990[3]
Students and staff
Students1,431 (2023-2024)[3]
Teachers83.22 (on an FTE basis) (2023-2024)[3]
Staff171.04 FTE (2023-2024)[3]
Student–teacher ratio17.2 (2023-2024)[3]
Other information
Websitewww.myeagles.org

Columbia School District is a public school district in Jackson County, Michigan. It serves Brooklyn and parts of the townships of Columbia, Liberty, and Norvell.[4] It also serves Cement City and parts of Cambridge Township and Woodstock Township in Lenawee County[5] and southwest Manchester Township in Washtenaw County.[6]

History

Columbia School District's origins lie in the Brooklyn school district. Brooklyn's school building was built in 1875,[7] and Brooklyn High School, now known as Columbia Central High, has existed since at least 1881.[8] In 1925, an addition was built to house the high school.[9] Cement City High School was established in 1931.[10]

Brooklyn Elementary opened in 1952.[11] A new Brooklyn High School was dedicated on February 22, 1956.[12]

Brooklyn, Cement City and Clarklake school districts merged in 1967, forming Columbia School District.[13][14] Cement City High School closed that year, having merged with Brooklyn High.[10] The new district quickly requested that voters approve a bond issue to construct Columbia Central High School, convert Brooklyn High into a middle school, convert Cement City High into an elementary school, and renovate other schools in the district.[14]

A Christmas program in 1969 christened the new high school's 456-seat auditorium, and the building opened for classes in January 1970. KMM Architects of Ann Arbor designed the building, described by an impressed reporter in the Jackson Citizen Patriot as "a sparkling, futuristic building" with a vibrant color scheme featuring "doe-skin walls throughout set off with burnt umber trim. Service panels, housing clocks and temperature controls are in a bright coral color. Chalk boards are in a number of colors, none of which is black. Window space in the classrooms is kept to a minimum. But, full length doors leading to the outside... let in a considerable amount of light."[7]

Miller Elementary, at 115 East Jackson Street in Cement City,[15] closed in 2011 and combined with Brooklyn Elementary, which was renamed Columbia Elementary.[16]

Between 1998 and 2013, bond issues totaling about $37.5 million were approved by voters to improve and remodel district facilities.[17]

Schools

Schools in Columbia School District[18]
School Address Notes
Columbia Central Junior/Senior High School 11775 Hewitt Rd., Brooklyn Grades 7–12. Built 1969.[7]
Columbia Upper Elementary 321 School Street, Brooklyn Grades 3–6. Formerly Brooklyn High School.[19] Built 1956.[12]
Columbia Elementary 320 School Street, Brooklyn Grades PreK–2. Built 1952.[11]
Columbia Options High School 4460 N. Lake Road, Clarklake Alternative education

References

  1. ^ Columbia School District. "Columbia School District". Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  2. ^ Columbia School District. "Staff". Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Columbia School District". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences.
  4. ^ Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget. "Jackson County School Districts" (PDF). Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  5. ^ Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget. "Lenawee County School Districts" (PDF). Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  6. ^ Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget. "Washtenaw County School Districts" (PDF). Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  7. ^ a b c Barnes, Donna M. (December 14, 1969). "Columbia opening colorful Yule package". Jackson Citizen Patriot (Jackson, Mich.). p. A3.
  8. ^ "County news". Jackson Citizen Patriot (Jackson, Mich.). June 14, 1901. p. 2.
  9. ^ "Students plan graduation". The Jackson News (Jackson, Mich.). March 19, 1925. p. 3.
  10. ^ a b "Little Cement City had big sports moments". Jackson Citizen Patriot (Jackson, Mich.). June 11, 1967. p. 50.
  11. ^ a b "Alumni chart 75th reunion at Brooklyn". Jackson Citizen Patriot (Jackson, Mich.). June 1, 1952. p. 19.
  12. ^ a b "New Brooklyn High opens". Jackson Citizen Patriot (Jackson, Mich.). February 22, 1956. p. 18.
  13. ^ Columbia School District. "From the Superintendent". Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  14. ^ a b "New Columbia High School bond vote subject". Jackson Citizen Patriot (Jackson, Mich.). June 27, 1967. p. 11.
  15. ^ "Many special programs are offered by Columbia Community Education". Jackson Citizen Patriot (Jackson, Mich.). June 15, 1999. p. S7.
  16. ^ Huhman, Lonnie (September 19, 2011). "Sprucing it up". Jackson Citizen Patriot (Jackson, Mich.). p. 5.
  17. ^ Michigan Department of Treasury. "STATE QUALIFIED SCHOOL BOND ELECTION RESULTS JACKSON COUNTY Columbia School District".
  18. ^ Columbia School District. "Schools menu". Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  19. ^ Smith, Leanne (September 29, 2016). "Columbia Central celebrates 50 golden years as Eagles". Jackson Citizen Patriot (Jackson, Mich.). p. A3.
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