CHIPPEWA VALLEY SCHOOLS CELEBRATES GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY

This year Chippewa Valley Schools celebrates a half century of educational excellence.

In 1954, Clinton Valley opened as an independent school on Mulberry Street. Two additions were added in 1955 and again in 1957 to accommodate new growth. When it opened the school housed students in Kindergarten through 8th grade. As the population in the area grew the demand for more schools, including a high school was evident. In the fall of 1959 the Chippewa Valley School District, as we know it, was formed. In 1960 the new Chippewa Valley High School opened (currently the CVHS Ninth Grade Center Building) to incoming students and in 1965 the first graduating class received their high school diplomas. Today we are the 9th largest school district in the State of Michigan (out of 552 public school districts) with more than 15,900 students.

We’ve come a long way …

In 1970 we had less than 2,000 students and 5 buildings.

In 1995 we had nearly 10,000 students and 14 buildings in operation.

Today we have more than 15,900 students in 21 buildings.

Did you know that?

Every Chippewa Valley School (with the exception of two: Cheyenne/Clinton Valley Elementary) are named with Native American names represented by the Chippewa, Ottawa, and Potawatomi tribes of Michigan – The “People of the Three Fires”.

By the numbers...

15,900 students
1,750 employees - Macomb County’s 11th largest employer according to Crain’s Business.
12 elementary schools
4 middle schools
2 Ninth Grade Centers
3 High Schools (CVHS, Dakota, and Mohegan Alternative High School)
1 International Academy of Macomb High School
1 Preschool Center - Little Turtle Preschool Macomb
28 square mile service area
1,040 high school students graduated from CVS high schools in June 08.
$7,316 per pupil Foundation Allowance - CVS largest district with lowest funding.
$130 million general fund budget for 2008-2009.

About Our District...

Chippewa Valley serves both Clinton and Macomb Townships.

Our MEAP Scores for the 2008-2009 school year show that our students scored above state and county averages in all tested areas in grades 3 through 9.

Every school is accredited by the prestigious (NCA) North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

CVHS and Fox Elementary - Michigan Exemplary Blue Ribbon Schools.

Dakota High School named one of the best high schools in America by Newsweek Magazine.

Chippewa Valley students are challenged by high academic standards in a caring and supportive environment.

We offer advanced placement, dual enrollment, foreign language, art, band and choir programs, middle and high school athletics, career and technical education, pre-school, latchkey, and a Kindergarten Plus program.

Chippewa Valley offers a variety of educational opportunities for people of all ages including after school clubs, community education and enrichment courses.

This map was taken from a 1962 article in "The Daily Monitor".  The Chippewa Valley School district housed only three school buildings at the time.

Clinton Valley was among Chippewa Valley’s first school buildings which opened in the 1950s.

Ojibwa Elementary School, originally known as Dittrich school (photo from 1908), was absorbed by the Chippewa Valley district.

In 1961, Ojibwa housed 170 kindergarten through 4th grade students and had a teaching staff of five.  Mr. Raymond Fraser served as principal of both Ojibwa and Clinton Valley Elementary Schools.

Here is one of Chippewa Valley’s earliest methods of transporting students with unique needs.  Today our Special Services Department provides resources and services to more than 1,700 students district-wide.


Click here to read The Voice News article