Welcome to Brookside Elementary (PK-5)
Welcome and thank you for choosing GRPS and Brookside Elementary. It is my honor and privilege to serve as the principal of Brookside. Our staff is dedicated to helping each child reach their fullest potential in a nurturing and equitable environment that celebrates and honors the diverse races and cultures of our scholars, families, and staff. We are fortunate to have an outdoor classroom and an amazing green space that includes Plaster Creek, allowing our students and staff to explore more learning outside.
If you would like more information about Brookside Elementary, please call us at 616-819-2242.
Interim Principal
Benjamin Garlets
Brookside Elementary
School Hours
Breakfast 8:10 a.m.
Start Time 8:30 a.m.
Dismissal 3:26 p.m.
Half Day Dismissal 11:40 a.m.
School Transparency
At Brookside, we pride ourselves on positive relationships and academic growth.
Beautiful, walkable, and surrounded by green space, Brookside Elementary combines a strong academic program with a consistent focus on restorative practices in a safe, vibrant learning community.
Located on the southeast side of Grand Rapids next to the Gerald R. Ford Nature Center and the Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center, our scholars benefit from learning in their own neighborhood. At Brookside, we are committed to ensuring all scholars experience an engaging curriculum and high achievement. Our staff work with each scholar to identify their needs and help them take their learning to the next level. We also partner with local organizations to ensure that our scholars can bring their learning to life.
The partnership between school staff and caregivers at Brookside Elementary builds a positive, collaborative learning environment. Families are welcomed and encouraged to be involved in various aspects of their scholar’s growth, resulting in a partnership that benefits the Brookside community.
Brookside is proud to offer:
- Parent Teacher Community Council
- Community-based Mentoring
- English as a Second Language (ESL) Services for PK through 5th grade students
- A partnership with the Kroc Center that includes:
- Fine Arts and Movement Education
- Swim Lessons
- A Brookside Community Garden Plot
- A partnership with Groundswell, LGROW, Plaster Creek Stewards, and EGLE, resulting in a student-cultivated rain garden
- Recipients of the Green Schoolyard Grant, resulting in the addition of natural play structures and an outdoor classroom
We have incorporated distance learning for years and are poised to be a leader in the district as a blended model of new technologies and old practices, giving our students the best of both worlds. Our 1-to-1 student technology device approach ensures that every student has the opportunity to learn inside and outside the classroom.
Our newly modernized building is a hidden gem on the west side of Grand Rapids featuring updated entrances, classrooms, air conditioning, and an athletic wing, surrounded by sprawling green space for outdoor education and athletics.
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19 Aug
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FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR SCHOLARSDate: Aug 19Calendar: GRPS District Calendar
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Middle School Football Season BeginsDate: Aug 19Calendar: GRPS District Calendar
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23 Aug
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No SchoolDate: Aug 23Calendar: GRPS District Calendar
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26 Aug
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Middle School Cross Country, Boys Soccer & Volleyball Seasons BeginDate: Aug 26Calendar: GRPS District Calendar
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30 Aug
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No School; No LOOP ProgrammingDate: Aug 30Calendar: GRPS District Calendar
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2 Sep
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No School; No LOOP Programming | Labor DayDate: Sep 2Calendar: GRPS District Calendar
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9 Sep
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First Day of Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP)Date: Sep 9Calendar: GRPS District Calendar
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18 Sep
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Bengals vs. Redhawks Middle School Football Game (Houseman Field)Date: Sep 18Calendar: GRPS District Calendar
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2 Oct
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Fall Count DayDate: Oct 2Calendar: GRPS District Calendar
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5 Oct
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GRPS Middle School Volleyball Invitational (City High Middle School)Date: Oct 5Calendar: GRPS District Calendar
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We are gearing up for the 2024-25 school year! Here are some of the key dates to mark on your calendars for next year.
The community is invited to attend an information session to review design plans for the renovation of Sigsbee School, which will become the new home of Southeast Career Pathways in 2025.
Grand Rapids Public Schools scholars are using art every day to express themselves in news ways.