History of L'Anse Creuse Public Schools
In 1954, the L’Anse Creuse Public Schools began as a way to fill a need in the community – a tradition that continues to this day. Prior to its inception in 1954, the high school aged students of what is now the L’Anse Creuse Public Schools district attended Mount Clemens High School on a tuition basis. In 1953, the Mount Clemens Community Schools’ Board of Education notified several school districts that within two years it could no longer accept these students. The Board of Education from each of the affected schools explored the options of providing high school facilities to students graduating from Atwood, Green, Herman Klix, Jefferson and South River elementary schools.
“A decision was made to consolidate these five elementary districts to provide a sufficient student base and property valuation to support a good high school,” said Glen Peters, first Board of Education president.
The newly formed district elected its first Board of Education members on March 29, 1954. The members were: Glen Peters, Albert Marlatt, Marie C. Graham, Donald W. Stivers and Louis Senghas.
With the board in place, the new district needed a name. Some of the suggestions included: “Lakeland,” “Lake Shore,” “Selfridge,” Cavalier,” “Riverland” and “Shoreland.” Senghas wondered if the name “L’Anse Creuse,” held by a road that ran through the district as well as the name for the Bay of Lake St. Clair, could have possibilities.
A local historian revealed that L’Anse Creuse was the French name for “Little Bay” or “Shallow Bay.” Additionally, L’Anse Creuse road used to run from the water’s edge back to Pontiac and served as the means for area farmers to transport their produce to the bay for sale along the water.
Satisfied with a century’s worth of historical significance, the board selected L’Anse Creuse Public Schools as the district’s official name.
The board now faced a tremendous undertaking to find a superintendent, fund and build a high school and merge the five schools into a unified district. Of the 63 applicants for the new post, Dr. Elbert W. Van Aken, former superintendent of Romeo Agricultural District, became L’Anse Creuse Public Schools’ first superintendent followed by Frederick V. Pankow, Dr. Francis A. Higgins, Dr. John R. Armstrong and most recently, Dr. DiAnne M. Pellerin.
Today, the district occupies 37 square miles of northeast Macomb County. It has ten elementary schools, four middle schools and two high schools. In addition, it has two child care centers, a vocational and technical center, an adult and community education facility and the John R. Armstrong Performing Arts Center.
“Glen Peters, as the first Board of Education president, set the standards of ethics and excellence for our district,” said Derald Van Camp, former L’Anse Creuse Public Schools Board of Education president. “It is these standards that makes L’Anse Creuse Public Schools prosper."
