Kettering Board Approves Middle School Merger, Van Buren Closure
The Kettering Board of Education has voted to merge Van Buren Middle School students into the Kettering Middle School building beginning with the 2026–2027 school year. The consolidated campus, located on Glengarry Drive, will serve all of the district’s sixth, seventh, and eighth graders.
To guide the transition, the district will create a “Better Together Committee”—a group tasked with overseeing the merger, planning unifying events for students, families, and staff, and recommending a new school name.
The board stated that the move is intended to address “excess operational space and high maintenance costs” associated with the Van Buren building.
By uniting the two schools, the district expects to enhance collaboration between middle and high school educators, expand extracurricular opportunities, and streamline staff coordination.
Officials emphasized that no staff layoffs are planned as part of the merger. However, any future vacancies created by retirements or resignations will be evaluated before being refilled.
According to district documents, keeping Van Buren operational would require approximately $2.85 million in maintenance over the next five years, funds the district determined would be better directed toward long-term solutions.
The Kettering Middle School building was chosen for consolidation because it is larger, newer, and structurally sounder, though the board reaffirmed that the ultimate goal is to build a new, single middle school within the next decade.
As part of the district’s 10-year facilities plan, Van Buren Middle School will eventually be demolished, with its site repurposed for athletic fields, and a new middle school building constructed to serve all students.
In line with every child’s right to quality education, the district reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that all students have access to a safe, well-equipped learning environment and a supportive transition during this consolidation process.
