Welcome to Shawmut Hills (PK-8)
It is an honor to serve as the Principal of Shawmut Hills Academy. We have an amazing team of dedicated, talented, and resourceful teachers and support staff who create an amazing educational experience for our scholars. Our scholars bring truly diverse backgrounds to school, which only enriches one another's lives. We have the steadfast support of an amazing PTA and school community to make this a special place to be.
Whether your family lives in our attendance zone or not, we would love to talk to you about becoming a part of our school community. It would be great to give you a tour of our school and bring your family in as members of the Shawmut Hills community!
Principal
Mulonge Kalumbula, Ph.D

Shawmut Hills
School Hours
Breakfast 8:10 a.m.
Start Time 8:30 a.m.
Dismissal 3:28 p.m.
Half Day Dismissal 11:40 a.m.
School Transparency
Shawmut Hills uses a positive and holistic approach to education to create an environment that promotes scholar learning and well-being.
Nestled in a beautiful residential neighborhood on the northwest side of Grand Rapids, Shawmut Hills is a hidden gem. We proudly serve scholars in grades preschool through 8th grade.
Caring Staff
Our highly-skilled and passionate staff ensure that every child has the opportunity to have their needs met academically, socially, and emotionally. Our team has been trained in creating trauma-sensitive classroom environments, allowing all of our scholars to feel supported and experience success.
Place-Based, Supplemental Learning
Using place-based education as our guide, our scholars explore and utilize our beautiful school grounds to deepen their learning. Our campus features old growth trees, habitats for a variety of animals, and an amazing edible garden run by scholars and the school community. Our scholars also have the opportunity to participate in rich experiences that include, but are not limited to, the following:
- social and emotional integrated curriculum
- high impact math, science, reading, and social studies curriculum
- music, band, art, physical education, computers, and library
- elementary and middle school sports
- the Shawmut Hills Friendship Garden
- Kid’s Hope Mentoring
- Senior Neighbors Tutoring
- enrichment activities with Grand Valley State University and Cornerstone University
Caregiver Engagement
As a school, we thrive because of the trust, support, and collaboration between staff, scholars, family members, and our supportive community partners. Through the generous work of our PTA and community partners, we are able to support after school events that include:
- family dances
- Shawmut Hills Night at the 3 Mile Project
- winter holiday sing-a-long
- school carnival
- reading night
- math night
- and so much more!
Family First
One of our most treasured accomplishments is that we have taught and continue to serve the children of many of our staff members both past and present. Our staff work collaboratively to create the best learning environment for all scholars, and we trust each other to teach our own children. At Shawmut, our family is your family!
Meet Our Principal
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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17 Mar
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No School | No LOOP ProgrammingDate: Mar 17Calendar: GRPS District Calendar
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18 Mar
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Start of 4th Marking PeriodDate: Mar 18Calendar: GRPS District Calendar
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20 Mar
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FAFSA Workshop - Ottawa Hills High School (Ottawa Hills scholars only) 12:30 PM to 2:30 PMFAFSA Workshop - Ottawa Hills High School (Ottawa Hills scholars only)Date: Mar 20Time: 12:30 PM to 2:30 PMLocation: Ottawa Hills High School, 2055 Rosewood Ave SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506, USACalendar: GRPS District Calendar
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4 Aprthru Apr 11
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No School | No LOOP Programming | Spring BreakDate: Apr 4 - Apr 11Calendar: GRPS District Calendar
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19 May
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CA Frost Middle High School Graduation Ceremony 5:00 PM to 6:00 PMCA Frost Middle High School Graduation CeremonyDate: May 19Time: 5:00 PM to 6:00 PMLocation: Houseman Field, 162 Houseman Ave NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USACalendar: GRPS District Calendar
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Union High School Graduation Ceremony 7:00 PM to 8:00 PMUnion High School Graduation CeremonyDate: May 19Time: 7:00 PM to 8:00 PMLocation: Houseman Field, 162 Houseman Ave NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USACalendar: GRPS District Calendar
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20 May
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Last Day of Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP)Date: May 20Calendar: GRPS District Calendar
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Southwest Middle High School Graduation Ceremony 5:00 PM to 6:00 PMSouthwest Middle High School Graduation CeremonyDate: May 20Time: 5:00 PM to 6:00 PMLocation: Houseman Field, 162 Houseman Ave NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USACalendar: GRPS District Calendar
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Grand Rapids Board of Education Trustee Arick Davis has been honored with the West Michigan Center for Arts + Technology (WMCAT) Award for Inspiration.

Scholars from Southwest Middle High School and Union High School took part in a march to honor what would have been the 98th birthday of labor leader and civil rights activist Cesar E. Chavez.

GRPS Family and Community Engagement (F.A.C.E.) is here to build a cooperative link between home, school, and the community.