Dr. David Hornak is in his first year as superintendent of Holt Public Schools, but as a 21-year veteran employee in our district, he is passionate about our schools, our community, and especially our students. And he’s not surprised that families from outside the district would choose Holt for their children.
“It is our hope that families believe in Holt Public Schools due to our academic excellence, amazing faculty and staff, programming, and our facilities,” he says.
Yet Dr. Hornak acknowledges that “Schools of Choice” sometimes raises concerns among resident families. He adds that the past eight to ten years have been “uncomfortable” times for schools nationwide and right here at home, due in large part to the economic downturn that hit school districts hard.
“This same conversation about Schools of Choice is happening across the nation,” Dr. Hornak says, “and there are lots of myths and misconceptions.”
In Dr. Hornak’s experience, the data do not bear out these concerns.
“Academically, our Schools of Choice students perform similarly to resident students,” he says. e same is true for discipline issues, he adds. “ ere’s no evidence that Schools of Choice students are behaving differently than other students.” And, Dr. Hornak says, all HPS students are held to the same academic and behavioral standards.
Schools of Choice students currently comprise about 21 percent of our district’s approximately 5,600 students. It’s interesting to note, however, that an estimated 25-30% of Holt’s Schools of Choice students started out as resident students whose families moved out of the district — but wanted their children to continue in Holt Public Schools. He notes that HPS also attracts families from Lansing, Eaton Rapids, Charlotte, Waverly, Leslie and other areas.
“Behind every Schools of Choice student is a parent willing to drive them here,” says Dr. Hornak. “We don’t provide transportation for non-resident students.” And this year,
he says, 60 Schools of Choice students ended up becoming residents of our district.
“In the end,” Dr. Hornak says, “we consider all of our students the pride of Holt Public!”
The Holt Public Schools administration office is at 5780 W. Holt Road, Holt, 517.694.0401, www.hpsk12.net.