Watervliet Public Schools

What Watervliet Public Schools does

Watervliet Public Schools is a public K-12 school district and Michigan state entity headquartered at 450 E. St. Joseph St in Watervliet, Michigan, operating within the Berrien-RESA Regional Educational Service Agency. The district serves students from Young 5's through 12th grade across six educational facilities: South Elementary School (Young 5's-2nd grade, principal Sherry Wheeler), North Elementary School (grades 3-5, principal Lori Pline), Watervliet Middle School (grades 6-8, principals Dave Kindt and Jennifer Higdon), Watervliet High School (grades 9-12, principal Christina Powers), and the WAY Program (Watervliet Alternative Year), a virtual high school with a physical location directed by Alecia Hickman that offers alternative pathways to a diploma. Total reported headcount is 11-50 listed personnel, and the district is led by Interim Superintendent Kevin Schooley with day-to-day administration via District Administrative Secretary Deah Muth.

The district's operating technology is built on a standard K-12 SaaS stack rather than proprietary infrastructure: Canvas LMS (via watervliet.instructure.com) for learning management and the parent portal, PowerSchool for student information and grade management, FinalForms for online new and returning student enrollment (replacing prior PowerSchool-based forms), GoFan for athletic event registration, and Apptegy's Thrillshare platform powering the district's website, mobile apps, and School Bell newsletter. Family-facing channels include the main website (watervlietps.org), district- and school-level Facebook pages, iOS and Android mobile apps, and email newsletters. Community engagement is delivered through the Watervliet Foundation for Excellence in Education, volunteer programs, PTO events, and partnerships such as those with the local fire department; the district mascot is the Panther and the schools are collectively known as the Panther family.

As a government-state entity, Watervliet Public Schools does not operate a revenue-generating commercial model. Education is provided free to district residents, with a School of Choice program (Fall 2026 openings) enabling out-of-district enrollment. Funding is sourced from Michigan state aid, local property taxes, and federal grants, with no private ownership or parent company. Revenue and budget figures are not publicly disclosed on the district website. Strategic positioning centers on small-district personalized education, "Panther Pride" community culture, MiMTSS Data Utilization recognition, alternative learning pathways through WAY, and student support services including TCIS crisis-intervention training and participation in the state's Meet Up and Eat Up free summer meals program.

Name

Watervliet Public Schools

Legal name

Watervliet Public Schools

Website

https://watervlietps.org

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Watervliet Public Schools is a Michigan public K-12 district operating five schools plus a virtual alternative program in Watervliet, serving residents from Young 5's through 12th grade and funded by state aid, local taxes, and federal grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Watervliet

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Watervliet Public Schools is a public K-12 school district that delivers free primary and secondary education to students from Young 5's through 12th grade across five school buildings and an alternative virtual program in Watervliet, Michigan. The district bundles standard academic instruction with athletics, fine arts, student wellness support (including TCIS training), and summer meal programs, supported by an online enrollment system, a learning management platform, and a parent/student information system.

Product overview

Watervliet Public Schools is a public K-12 school district operating six educational facilities in Watervliet, Michigan. The district offers a comprehensive educational program through its core schools: South Elementary (Young 5's-2nd grade), North Elementary (grades 3-5), Watervliet Middle School (grades 6-8), Watervliet High School (grades 9-12), and the WAY Program as an alternative virtual education option. The district utilizes Canvas LMS for learning management, PowerSchool for student information, and FinalForms for enrollment management. The district's mascot is the Panther and schools are collectively referred to as the Panther family.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WAY Program (Watervliet Alternative Year): A virtual program for high school-aged students offering an alternative learning opportunity to earn a High School Diploma. Has a physical location but provides online coursework.

Products and services

• Watervliet Public Schools District (K-12 Education) Public K-12 school district providing comprehensive education services across six schools in Watervliet, Michigan, serving students from Young 5's through 12th grade free of charge to in-district residents, with School of Choice options for out-of-district families.
• South Elementary School Elementary school within Watervliet Public Schools serving students from Young 5's through 2nd grade, led by Principal Sherry Wheeler.
• North Elementary School Elementary school within Watervliet Public Schools serving students in grades 3–5 and the Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP), led by Principal Lori Pline.
• Watervliet Middle School Middle school within Watervliet Public Schools serving students in grades 6–8, led by Principals Dave Kindt and Jennifer Higdon.
• Watervliet High School High school within Watervliet Public Schools serving grades 9–12, led by Principal Christina Powers, offering college-preparatory academics, athletics, and fine arts programs.
• WAY Program (Watervliet Alternative Year) Virtual high school program with a physical location that provides an alternative learning opportunity for high school-aged students to earn a high school diploma, directed by Program Director Alecia Hickman.

Quantifiable outcome

• Free summer meals provided to children and teens across Michigan through Meet Up and Eat Up program

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• National Heritage Academies: Grand Rapids, Michigan-based charter school management organization operating multiple K-8 schools across the state. A broader incumbent alternative to traditional public school districts like Watervliet, with overlapping age cohorts and competing for the same families in some Michigan communities.

Direct peers

• Hartford Public Schools: Small public K-12 district in Hartford, Michigan, in nearby Van Buren County. Similar size and rural southwestern Michigan context, making it a comparable small-district peer for operating model benchmarking.
• Coloma Community Schools: Public K-12 school district in Coloma, Michigan, located in Berrien County near Watervliet. Similar scale and rural-adjacent setting, serving as a direct competitor for student enrollment in the southwest Michigan area.
• Dowagiac Union Schools: Public K-12 district in Dowagiac, Michigan, in neighboring Cass County. Small district of similar scale to Watervliet, with comparable rural southwest Michigan demographics and educational programming scope.
• Eau Claire Public Schools: Small public K-12 district in Eau Claire, Michigan, also in Berrien County. Similar small-town scale and demographic profile to Watervliet, with overlapping regional student populations and operational parallels.
• Benton Harbor Area Schools: Public K-12 district in Benton Harbor, Michigan, sharing Berrien County with Watervliet. Larger and more urban than Watervliet, but serves the same county student population and represents a relevant regional comparison for funding, demographics, and programming.
• St. Joseph Public Schools: Public K-12 school district in St. Joseph, Michigan, also in Berrien County. A nearby district offering comparable comprehensive K-12 programming and competing for the same regional student pool around Benton Harbor / St. Joseph.
• Lakeshore Public Schools: Public K-12 school district based in Stevensville, Michigan, also in Berrien County. Comparable to Watervliet in size, geographic setting, and student demographics, making it a direct peer for School of Choice competition.
• Bridgman Public Schools: Public K-12 district in Bridgman, Michigan, in Berrien County. Operates similar elementary, middle, and high school programs and competes with Watervliet for School of Choice families in the same county.

Emerging players

• Stride (formerly K12 Inc): Online K-12 education provider offering virtual schooling and curriculum nationwide. Comparable to the WAY Program alternative education offering and a partial competitor for school-age children seeking non-traditional learning paths.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/watervlietps.org
• Xx.com/watervlietps

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Watervliet Public Schools