Dear Bear Lake Families and Community,

On behalf of our Board of Education, faculty, and staff, I would like to welcome everyone back for another exciting school year at Bear Lake Schools. We are looking forward to welcoming our students back to the classroom on Monday, August 31, and we can't wait to see the hallways filled with energy, enthusiasm, and Bear Lake pride once again.

To our returning families, thank you for your continued trust and partnership in your child's education. To those joining the Bear Lake family for the first time, welcome! We are grateful that you have chosen Bear Lake Schools, and we look forward to working together to help every student succeed.

I also want to extend a sincere thank you to our entire Bear Lake community for your continued support of our schools. Your investment in our students has made an incredible difference. Thanks to the successful bond proposal approved by voters three years ago, we continue to make significant improvements across our district that will benefit students for many years to come.

Some of the major projects completed include:

• Installation of new, energy-efficient boilers.

• New flooring and lockers

• A new HVAC system throughout the building, including air conditioning to provide a more comfortable learning environment.

• Construction of a new field house at our athletic complex.

• Numerous additional facility and infrastructure upgrades that continue to improve our schools.

These improvements are a direct result of the community's support, and we are grateful for your commitment to providing outstanding learning environments for our students and staff.

As we look ahead, I also want to make our families aware of an important item that will appear on the November ballot. Michigan law requires school districts to ask voters every five years to renew the 18-mill non-homestead operating millage. It is important to understand that this is not a tax increase. This proposal simply renews the existing operating millage that is already being collected. Additionally, this renewal applies only to non-homestead properties, such as commercial, industrial, rental, and second-home properties. It does not affect taxes on your primary residence. Approval of this renewal allows Bear Lake Schools to continue receiving the full state funding our district relies upon to operate.

We are excited to begin another school year filled with opportunities for learning, growth, and success. Our staff has been working hard to prepare for the return of our students, and we are eager to make this a great year for every member of the Bear Lake family.

If you have any questions as we begin the school year, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. Thank you once again for your continued support of Bear Lake Schools. We look forward to seeing everyone on August 31 and wish you a wonderful start to the 2026-2027 school year!

Sincerely,

Jake Veith