Master Plan 2026

Holly Area Schools uses a Long-Term Facilities Master Plan as a roadmap to ensure our buildings remain safe, secure, and effective learning environments for students both today and well into the future. This thoughtful planning process has guided responsible investments over time. 

Thanks to the generosity and trust of our community, these successful bond initiatives allowed the district to address important facility needs and expand educational opportunities for students across Holly Area Schools. Our commitment to students, staff, and families remains strong. The Long-Term Facilities Master Plan continues to be a critical priority as we work to ensure our schools are equipped with modern safety and security enhancements, aging infrastructure is updated, and learning environments prepare students for future success and rewarding careers.

As facilities age, enrollment patterns shift, and educational needs evolve, the master plan is regularly updated to ensure investments remain responsive, responsible, and aligned with both student and community needs. Over the past four years, Holly Area Schools has experienced consistent enrollment growth, something we are proud of and an important factor in long-range planning.

The district is now updating its Long-Term Facilities Master Plan once again. This work builds on the success of previous bond investments, including the state-of-the-art Holly Middle School, the award-winning Construction Trades Center, and the soon-to-open Holly Community Enrichment Center at the Sherman Campus.

As part of this process, Holly Area Schools is exploring a potential November 2026 bond proposal designed to address key facility needs and enhancements with no tax rate increase. While many school districts across the state have pursued larger bond proposals—often double or triple the size of recent requests—Holly Area Schools has remained measured and intentional. By following a long-term planning approach, the district continues to address needs responsibly without increasing the tax burden on our community.

In addition, the district has taken proactive steps to save taxpayers millions of dollars by strategically refinancing and paying down outstanding bond debt. Most recently, S&P Global Ratings assigned Holly Area Schools an ‘A+’ underlying rating and an ‘AA’ enhanced long-term rating, reflecting a strong track record of sound financial management and positive operating performance over the past decade.

This next phase of the Long-Term Facilities Master Plan would focus on priorities such as:

• Addressing aging infrastructure and facility improvements

• Enhancing safety and security

• Accommodating continued enrollment growth

• Enhancing learning environments and educational programs

In 2017, Holly Area Schools began the first phase of a Long-Term Facilities Master Plan to identify critical safety and security improvements, along with necessary infrastructure upgrades across the district. This plan served as the foundation for the 2018 bond proposal.

In 2018, voters approved a $38 million bond focused on improving safety and security, addressing aging building and site conditions, and updating educational technology. This bond was designed to address the district’s most immediate needs at the time while limiting the impact on taxpayers; no tax rate increase. This provided funding for improvements from 2018-2022. Read more about the improvements from the 2018 bond.

In 2021, voters approved a $98 million bond to replace the Middle School, continue infrastructure improvements, construct a new Construction Trades building, and replace the district’s tennis courts. This approval was also a no tax rate increase. Read more about the improvements from the 2022 bond. 

In 2025, the district began updating the Long-Term Facilities Master Plan to identify systems nearing the end of their useful lives, address student population growth at the elementary schools, continue improving safety and security, and advance learning environments throughout the district.

As this planning process continues, it is important to gather input from parents, staff, and the broader community. District leaders are meeting with stakeholders and conducting surveys to collect feedback and help prioritize the next phase of the Long-Term Facilities Master Plan. This phase focuses on ongoing improvements to safety and infrastructure, modernizing learning environments, and evaluating the future of early learning locations across Holly Area Schools. These planning efforts also support Holly Area Schools 2030, the district’s new strategic plan developed in cooperation with parents, community members, students, staff and district leaders, that provides a roadmap to continued success in our schools over the next several years. Read more about the Strategic Plan.

Long-Term Master Plan Survey Results

This FAQ is intended to provide clear, factual information about the district’s long-term facilities planning efforts and the potential projects under consideration.

Why is Holly Area Schools updating its Long-Term Facilities Master Plan?

Holly Area Schools regularly updates its Long-Term Facilities Master Plan to ensure school buildings remain safe, secure, and effective learning environments as facilities age, enrollment patterns change, and educational needs evolve. This long-term planning approach allows the district to make thoughtful, phased investments that align with both student needs and community expectations, with strong consideration for millage impact, proposing a no tax rate increase.

Why is the district considering a bond proposal for November 2026?

The district is exploring a potential bond proposal to continue addressing priority facility needs that were intentionally planned over multiple phases. These needs include aging infrastructure, safety and security enhancements, enrollment growth, and learning environment improvements. If pursued, the bond proposal would be structured as a no tax rate increase, continuing the district’s commitment to responsible financial stewardship.

How is the district gathering input and feedback for planning?

The Long-Term Facilities Master Plan is informed by multiple sources of input to ensure decisions reflect district priorities and community needs. This includes alignment with the district’s Strategic Plan, a community-wide survey conducted in February 2026, and planning sessions with key stakeholders such as staff, community members, and district leadership. Together, these inputs help guide thoughtful, well-informed recommendations to the Board of Education.

How can the district propose a bond with no tax rate increase?

Through careful long-term planning, refinancing, and paying down existing debt, Holly Area Schools has created the capacity to fund future improvements without increasing the current tax rate. 

Why are additional safety and security improvements being considered?

Student and staff safety remains a top priority. While the district has made significant investments in recent years, safety standards and technology continue to evolve. The next phase of improvements would help ensure facilities remain secure and responsive, potentially including enhanced emergency communication systems, security window upgrades, entrance barriers, backup power generators, and other district-wide safety measures.

How can protective barriers, such as bollards, help prevent vehicles from crashing into our school buildings?

Across the country, there has been a documented rise in vehicle-into-building incidents. While many of these crashes are accidental—caused by driver error, medical emergencies, or impaired driving—they can result in serious injuries and significant property damage.

As part of Long-Term Facilities Master Planning, school districts evaluate proactive safety measures designed to protect students, staff, and visitors. One of those measures may include the installation of protective barriers, commonly known as bollards, to create a physical barrier between vehicles and building entrances, reducing the risk of accidental vehicle intrusion into occupied spaces and enhancing overall campus safety without limiting accessibility.

Why does the district need infrastructure upgrades?

Previous bonds were intentionally designed to address the most urgent infrastructure needs first, not every system districtwide. The buildings of Holly Area Schools encompass more than one million square feet of roofing, and since the 2018 bond, approximately 70% of district roofs have been replaced by prioritizing the most critical areas while planning responsibly for remaining needs. Similarly, with more than 22 boilers across the district, 11 have been replaced as systems reached end-of-life. As additional systems continue to age, a future bond would allow the district to proactively address remaining infrastructure needs in a planned, cost-effective manner rather than waiting for emergency repairs.

Why are learning environment upgrades proposed for Holly High School?

Newer facilities, such as Holly Middle School, were designed with modern learning concepts that support collaboration, flexibility, and 21st-century instruction. Proposed improvements would help create a consistent learning experience across grade levels by upgrading classroom furniture and shared learning spaces to better support today’s teaching and learning needs.

Why is the district exploring new multi-use spaces at the high school?

Multi-use spaces represent an investment in our students and our community as a whole. They provide year-round flexibility and reduce weather-related disruptions, while expanding opportunities for academic, athletic, extracurricular, and community use. Potential spaces would support physical education, band, robotics, athletics, and community recreation, helping maximize the value of district facilities for students and residents alike.

How many local school districts have constructed, acquired, or are currently constructing multi-use spaces?

Within a 30-mile radius of Holly Area Schools, there are nine school districts with multi-use spaces, including several districts in the Flint Metro League such as Fenton, Linden, Goodrich, Flushing, Swartz Creek, and Kearsley.  

What has been the trend in extracurricular participation at Holly High School over the past five years, and how does this support the need for multi-use activity spaces?

Over the past five years, Holly High School has seen a steady increase in the percentage of students participating in extracurricular activities, including athletics, robotics, and fine arts programs. More students are choosing to engage beyond the traditional school day, reflecting a strong culture of involvement and school pride.  Student involvement beyond the classroom supports stronger connections with peers, improved attendance, enhanced leadership, teamwork, problem-solving skills, and better physical and emotional health. 

Increased participation means greater demand for practice, rehearsal, and competition space, especially during inclement weather or seasonal transitions.  Multi-use spaces would help address these challenges by providing flexible, adaptable spaces that can support multiple programs, including athletic practices and competitions, building and programming for robotics teams, marching band practice, performance preparation, physical education classes, student wellness activities, and community events. 

Why are changes proposed for Early Childhood programs?

Early Childhood programs are currently located across multiple elementary buildings, which limits capacity and contributes to waitlists. Over the past four years, Holly Area Schools has experienced consistent enrollment growth—something we are proud of and an important factor in long-range planning. 

Centralizing Early Childhood programming improves staffing efficiency, collaboration, and instructional alignment. Proposed enhancements could increase access, support additional state funding opportunities for future investment in program expansion, and provide purpose-designed learning environments that promote school readiness and long-term academic success.

Why are additional elementary school improvements included?

Elementary schools have benefited from many upgrades through previous bonds, but some needs remain. A future bond could address playground accessibility and replace aging cabinetry and casework, ensuring elementary facilities remain safe, functional, and welcoming for students and families.

Why are specific improvements proposed for Patterson Elementary?

Patterson Elementary's parking and drop-off areas have not received recent upgrades, unlike those at other district elementary schools. Proposed improvements would enhance traffic flow and safety during arrival and dismissal.

Why is technology part of the proposed improvements?

Technology requires ongoing investment to remain reliable, secure, and effective. Previous bonds funded classroom technology, network upgrades, and safety systems. A proposed bond would support device replacements based on end of life expectancy and improve network infrastructure to meet future instructional, safety and security needs.

Why are Performing Arts improvements being considered?

The district continues to invest in Performing Arts to provide meaningful opportunities for students. Additional improvements would help accommodate growing programs, improve instructional space, and provide dedicated storage, benefiting both band and theater students.

How can community members stay informed or share feedback?

Community input is an essential part of the planning process. In February 2026, the district surveyed the community on the Long-Term Facilities Master Plan. The survey responses will help guide future decisions, and additional information will be shared if the district moves forward with a bond proposal. Community members are encouraged to stay engaged and reach out to the district with questions or comments as planning continues.