Here's when schools in and around Holland will start the 2023-24 school year

Mitchell Boatman, Holland Sentinel
Updated ·2 min read

WEST MICHIGAN — The calendar has turned to August, and back-to-school is only weeks away. All local districts will welcome back students and staff to classrooms later this month.

While state law has required schools to start after Labor Day since 2005, it also allows districts to receive waivers to start earlier. The 2023-24 school year will be the third consecutive year all local schools have elected to start before the holiday.

Principal Miska Rynsburger speaks to students at Holland Christian's Pine Ridge Elementary School in January 2023.
Principal Miska Rynsburger speaks to students at Holland Christian's Pine Ridge Elementary School in January 2023.

Fennville Public Schools will be the first district in the area to start the year. Fennville’s first day will be Monday, Aug. 21. Holland Christian and Zeeland Christian will both start the next day, Tuesday, Aug. 22.

A handful of schools will start Wednesday, Aug. 23, including Holland Public Schools, Hamilton Community Schools, Black River Public School and Vanderbilt Charter Academy. Holland’s first day will be the first of 34 planned early release days this year.

Eagle Crest Charter Academy opens for the year Monday, Aug. 28. Zeeland Public Schools, Saugatuck Public Schools and Calvary Schools of Holland start the year Tuesday, Aug. 29.

West Ottawa Public Schools will be the last to start the year on Wednesday, Aug. 30.

Innocademy, a balanced calendar K-8 school, and iCademy Global, an online K-12 school, in Zeeland started the school year Wednesday, Aug. 2.

Fennville will hold open houses Aug. 15 for kindergarten and ninth graders and Aug. 16 for all students. Open houses in Hamilton vary by school and will be held Aug. 14-21.

Saugatuck Public Schools will start the 2023-24 school year Tuesday, Aug. 29.
Saugatuck Public Schools will start the 2023-24 school year Tuesday, Aug. 29.

Saugatuck will hold middle and high school orientations Aug. 17 with an open house at Douglas Elementary on Aug. 23, while Holland will hold open houses Aug. 21.

Holland Christian will host middle and high school students Aug. 21, while elementary schools have ice cream socials set for Aug. 17. Open houses in Zeeland will take place Aug. 22-23, while Black River will have new student orientation and an elementary open house Aug. 22.

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There's less variance among local schools in terms of when the year will be finished, with more than half of area schools releasing on the same day.

Holland will be the first district done Tuesday, June 4. Holland Christian and Zeeland Christian will release June 5, followed by Fennville and Vanderbilt Charter on June 6.

Friday, June 7, will be the last day for most area districts, including West Ottawa, Zeeland, Saugatuck, Hamilton, Black River, Eagle Crest and Calvary.

— Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at mboatman@hollandsentinel.com.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Here's when schools in and around Holland will start the school year