The Right Size. The Right Choice

The right size school means your child will have the opportunity to be a part of the class, the team and the group. Choosing Belding Area Schools means they will have more participation and opportunity, putting them on the path to achieve their very best.

At BAS, we believe it’s about making the right choice for your child. Our schools and programs are just the right size: large enough to offer everything students need; small enough where they can get involved.

District Summary

District Mission

Belding Area Schools: An engaged staff + a supportive community = successful students.

Belding History

Belding is located in northwestern Ionia County along state highways M-44 and M-91, 25 miles northeast of Grand Rapids in the northwest corner of Ionia County. Belding has a population of approximately 13,000 with businesses ranging from retail shops to manufacturing and extrusion firms. Hiking, horseback riding, fishing, camping, cross country skiing, golfing, jogging and mountain biking are among the many recreational activities available in Belding and surrounding Ionia County. Belding is located less than an hour’s drive from the State Capital and Michigan State University. It is nestled in the very heart of Michigan’s farmland.

This is a highly progressive city with several unique community development projects in the last decade that has put Belding on the map. The downtown area is composed of a covered indoor mall, several old factory buildings that have been restored into offices and apartments which help maintain the area’s turn of the century look in its architecture. The waterfront park overlooks the restored depot and offers a scenic place for a picnic or stroll.

Belding was named after Hiram Belding who in 1871 who purchased the land from Levi Broas. The Broas Family originally built a mill here in 1839, which was then known as Broas Rapids. Hiram Belding started a silk factory to help pay off the land and Belding became known as the “Silk City.” This thrived to help further develop the town. It was eventually incorporated as a city in 1893.

Belding Area Schools

Belding Area Schools has approximately 2,000 students and is in the Class B OK Silver Sports Conference. The district has one high school, one middle school, and two elementary schools. It operates an Early Childhood Center which includes the Great Start Readiness Program and a pre-primary instructional program for special education.