District overview
Pewamo-Westphalia Community Schools
Funding structure, how it compares to peers, and where major projects stand.
How Pewamo-Westphalia schools are paid for and who decides
Pewamo-Westphalia Community Schools runs one elementary school in Pewamo and one middle/high school in Westphalia, in Clinton County, Michigan. Most of its money comes from Michigan's per-pupil foundation allowance, so funding rises and falls with enrollment. State aid is about $9.7 million of the $10.7 million in planned 2026-27 general fund revenue. Local property taxes (18 mills on non-homestead property) add about $665,000. A seven-member Board of Education, elected to six-year terms, hires the superintendent and adopts the budget. Martin DuBois became superintendent on July 1, 2026.
State aid pays most of the bills
The 2026-27 budget counts on $9.67 million in state aid out of $10.74 million in general fund revenue.
Planned deficit
The 2026-27 budget plans to spend $220,154 more than it takes in, lowering the fund balance from $2.80 million to $2.58 million.
Big leadership turnover
In 2026 the district got a new superintendent and a new middle/high school principal, and the elementary principal resigned in September.
Bond projects finishing
Bond-funded building work wrapped up with a new turf football field in August 2026, but some Phase 1 punch-list items and a building-code dispute remained open in October.
The 2025-26 deficit ended far smaller than first planned ($37,457 instead of $494,651), and the district still has a fund balance of over $2.5 million. A planned deficit is not by itself a sign of trouble.
Where the district stands
Calculation: $10,956,417 / 685 students (NCES Common Core of Data). Different years; context only. Excludes food service, preschool and activity funds.
Major projects
School bond projects: Phase 3 turf football field and site work
field complete; final punch list and close-out under wayThe board ended construction manager PSI's role in Phase 3, then hired Katerberg Verhage for a turf football field. Smaller contracts covered a south parking lot extension and pine tree removal. Phase 1 close-out work with PSI was still under way in fall 2026.
- PSI removed from Phase 3
- $1.37M turf contract approved 5-2
- Turf installation begins
- Football field installation complete
- Final walkthrough pending; duct detector citation in litigation
Funding
Voter-approved bond (2023) and Public Improvement Fund for smaller items
Superintendent search and leadership transition
new superintendent in place; elementary principal job openThe board ran a public search with MASB, interviewed six candidates and hired Martin DuBois on a 2026-2029 contract. A new middle/high school principal and athletic director followed in summer 2026. The elementary principal resigned in September.
- Board picks MASB to run the search
- Public interviews with six candidates
- DuBois contract approved
- New MS/HS principal named
- Elementary principal resignation accepted
Funding
General fund (search run with MASB)
Data-based strategic plan
in developmentThe board hired MASB consultant Scott Morrell to build a 4-5 year strategic plan with measurable goals, using community input. A new mission statement was adopted in June 2026.
- Board agrees to start planning
- Consultant retained
- All-day board retreat
- New mission statement adopted
Funding
General fund (consultant contract; amount not stated)
Recent news
Board of Education agendas and minutes from www.pwschools.org (Board Meeting Agenda and Minutes page, October 20, 2025 through the October 19, 2026 agenda and administrative reports). Also the 2025-26 revised and 2026-27 budget resolutions from the Transparency Reporting page, the 2026-27 board meeting schedule, and the 2026-27 middle/high school student-parent handbook. Most minutes are scanned PDFs read with OCR.
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