Napoleon Community Schools

Last updated
Napoleon Community Schools
Address
200 West Street [1]
Napoleon
, Jackson County , Michigan , 49261
United States
Coordinates 42°09′50″N84°14′56″W / 42.1640236°N 84.2489127°W / 42.1640236; -84.2489127
District information
MottoTradition starts here. [1]
GradesPre-Kindergarten-12
SuperintendentPatrick Dillon [2]
Schools4 [3]
Budget$16,185,000 2021-2022 expenditures [3]
NCES District ID 2624960 [3]
Students and staff
Students1,277 (2023-2024) [3]
Teachers67.38 (on an FTE basis) (2023-2024) [3]
Staff131.51 FTE (2023-2024) [3]
Student–teacher ratio18.95 (2023-2024) [3]
Athletic conferenceCascades
District mascotPirates
Colors Green & White   
Other information
Website www.napoleonschools.org

Napoleon Community Schools is a public school district in Jackson County, Michigan. It serves Napoleon and parts of the townships of Columbia, Grass Lake, Napoleon, and Norvell. [4]

Contents

History

Napoleon's high school has existed since at least 1887, when it was mentioned in a local newspaper that six students graduated. [5]

In 1919, voters in the Napoleon district and four neighboring rural school districts voted to consolidate into a single district. Controversies and lawsuits ensued over taxation to fund a new school building. [6] Ultimately, a new school opened in fall 1923. It contained all grades. [7]

The 1949 high school yearbook describes the district’s early school bus system. In the year of consolidation, students were transported by horse-drawn wagons and sleighs. The district purchased its first motorized school bus in 1924. For several years, buses consisted of wooden bodies mounted on truck chassis, until steel-bodied buses were introduced in 1936. By 1949, the district operated a fleet of twelve buses transporting 620 students. [8]

Ezra Eby Elementary, named after a long-serving district superintendent, was dedicated on November 8, 1953. [9] The architect was Guido A. Binda Associates of Battle Creek. Despite the new facilities, the district was overcrowded by 1955 and was considering half-day sessions to save space, [10] but voters rejected a construction bond issue later that year. [11] However, in 1957, Ackerson Lake school and a new addition at Eby Elementary were built. [12]

In 1960, the current high school was built. It opened in January 1961, and the former central school building became a junior high building. [12] The high school was renovated with new science labs, a new roof and facades in 2013. [13]

The current middle school was dedicated on February 22, 1981. [14]

In 2016, the school district went to the U.S. Supreme Court over not allowing access for a disabled student's service dog in Fry v. Napoleon Community Schools . The Supreme Court ruled that the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, which originally ruled that the student's family could not sue the school district, must reconsider. [15]

Schools

Schools in Napoleon Community Schools district [3] [1]
SchoolAddressNotes
Napoleon High School 201 West Street, NapoleonGrades 9–12. Built 1960. [12]
Napoleon Middle School204 West Street, NapoleonGrades 6–8. Built 1981. [14]
Ezra Eby Elementary School220 West Street, NapoleonGrades K–5. Built 1953. [9]
Pirates Cove Childcare & Preschool220 West Street, NapoleonPreschool within Ezra Eby Elementary
Ackerson Lake Alternative High School121 W Brooklyn Road, NapoleonAlternative school. Grades 9–12

References

  1. 1 2 3 Napoleon Community Schools. "Napoleon Community Schools" . Retrieved December 29, 2025.
  2. ↑ Napoleon Community Schools. "Administration Office" . Retrieved December 29, 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Napoleon Community Schools". National Center for Education Statistics . Institute of Education Sciences.
  4. ↑ Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget. "Jackson County School Districts" (PDF). Retrieved December 29, 2025.
  5. ↑ "Central city brevities". Jackson Citizen Patriot (Jackson, Mich.). May 21, 1887. p. 5.
  6. ↑ "Napleon sees row drag on". Jackson News (Jackson, Mich.). September 6, 1922. p. 5.
  7. ↑ "Napoleon school formally opened". Jackson Citizen Patriot (Jackson, Mich.). November 25, 1923. p. 4.
  8. ↑ Editorial staff of Napoleon High School yearbook. "'49 Buccaneer (1949 Napoleon High School yearbook)". p. 42.
  9. 1 2 "Dedication tonight". Jackson Citizen Patriot (Jackson, Mich.). November 8, 1953. p. 8.
  10. ↑ "Half day classes may be slated". Jackson Citizen Patriot (Jackson, Mich.). July 1, 1955. p. 11.
  11. ↑ "Vote rejects school plan at Napoleon". Jackson Citizen Patriot (Jackson, Mich.). November 9, 1955. p. 1.
  12. 1 2 3 "Napoleon High School students to begin new year in new school". Jackson Citizen Patriot (Jackson, Mich.). December 19, 1960. p. 5.
  13. ↑ Smith, Leanne (July 22, 2013). "State-of-the-art science labs will greet Napoleon High School students when classes resume in fall". MLive.
  14. 1 2 "Napoleon school to be dedicated". Jackson Citizen Patriot (Jackson, Mich.). February 17, 1981. p. 6.
  15. ↑ Spangler, Todd (February 23, 2017). "Court orders review of service dog case". Livingston County Press and Argus. p. A1.
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