School of Choice

Welcome to Grand Haven Area Public Schools! We are so pleased to have you and your child join our school family. Our highly qualified staff is dedicated to ensuring a safe and secure environment while delivering quality and challenging programs for your child.  To make the registration process easier for you, you will complete your child's enrollment registration on our Online Registration portal. 


Duneside Discovery Center at Mary A. White: Ages 3-5

Duneside offers a unique nature-based learning experience for children in the following programs:

  • Preschool Development Program (3-year-olds): A tuition-based program for our youngest learners, PDP prepares children with foundational, play-based learning from certified teachers. Each school day lasts three hours with two-, three-, and five-day options available. Before-school and after-school care options are available through the GHAPS Open Door program.
  • Great Start Readiness Program (4-year-olds): A state-funded program, GSRP is free with priority enrollment given to families at or below 400% of the federal poverty level. Our certified teachers help students build essential literacy, math, and social skills as they prepare for success in Young Fives or Kindergarten. 
  • Early Childhood Special Education (Ages 3-5): Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) programs support children ages 3–5 with developmental delays or disabilities, providing personalized instruction and services to help them grow, learn, and thrive in preschool.
  • Young Fives (5-year-olds)

    Research strongly supports that children who are on the younger side of school entry or need more time developmentally can benefit significantly from a Young Fives program, including:

    • Self-Regulation and Mental Health: Delaying kindergarten by a year can significantly boost focus and self-control—Stanford researchers found a 73% drop in inattention and hyperactivity by age 11 in later starters.
    • Academic Readiness: Children in Young Fives often start kindergarten ahead in reading and math. A California study found those early gains can last through third grade.
    • More Time to Grow: Young Fives gives younger children extra time to grow, focusing on social skills, confidence, and independence, so they’re ready to thrive in kindergarten.

Learn more at www.GHAPS.org/duneside. 

Information and Enrollment Forms for Preschool Programs

Kindergarten

GHAPS offers full-day Kindergarten in all of our elementary school buildings for children who will be five years of age on or before September 1, of the current year. (Students turning five between September 1 and December 1 may still enroll through a waiver process). Families interested in our Young Fives program, now offered at Duneside Discovery Center at Mary A. White, can learn more at www.GHAPS.org/duneside.


Schools of Choice

Internal School of Choice (Elementary Buildings)

The Internal School of Choice window for the 2025-26 school year has closed.  Please contact your assigned school building principal if you have any questions.

External School of Choice (Non-residents)

Grand Haven Area Public Schools offers outstanding instructional and extracurricular programs and, through Schools of Choice, is pleased to make these programs available to nonresident students. GHAPS accepts applications from students residing in Ottawa County (Section 105) and from students living in districts within a contiguous intermediate school district (Section 105c).

Application Process & Timeline
Parents can apply by completing the PDF DocumentNon-Resident Enrollment Application Form and uploading it with your Online Registration and/or emailing the form to registration@ghaps.org.

The primary application window runs from March 5 through the end (Friday) of the first week of school each year. By the end (Friday) of the first week of school, parents will be notified in writing of their child’s acceptance, school building and teacher assignment, and enrollment procedures. Parents must complete the enrollment process by this deadline.

An additional application period is available January 1–31 each year for students wishing to transfer to GHAPS at the semester break.

NOTICE: Program Availability
Each year, GHAPS determines whether to accept applications from nonresident students and identifies any grades, schools, or special programs that may have limited availability. Some programs, such as our Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) program, may have limited availability. If a grade, school, or program has more applicants than available spaces, a random draw will be conducted in accordance with state law. 

Important Considerations for Parents and Students

  • Transportation is not provided for Schools of Choice enrollees; parents must provide their own transportation.

  • Applications may be denied if a student has been suspended from another school district within the preceding 2 years, expelled from another district at any time before enrolling, or convicted of a felony at any time before enrolling.

  • All rules of the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) apply to transfer students.