Oakland County Parks Partnership Update

Dear Bloomfield Hills Schools Community,

Over the past year and a half, teams from Bloomfield Hills Schools and Oakland County Parks have worked collaboratively to create a partnership focused on the future of Bowers School Farm and Johnson Nature Center. This spring, the agreement was officially approved by the Bloomfield Hills Schools Board of Education, the Oakland County Parks and Recreation Commission and the Oakland County Board of Commissioners.

Through this partnership, Bloomfield Hills Schools will retain ownership of both properties while continuing to provide priority access for student educational programming. Oakland County Parks will provide operational support, expanded programming opportunities and long-term investment to help both sites thrive for generations to come.

As part of this exciting next chapter, the sites will also transition to new names that reflect the partnership and future vision for both spaces. Johnson Nature Center will become Johnson Nature Center at Bloomfield Oaks Park and Bowers School Farm will become Bowers Farm at Discover Oaks Park. While the names are evolving, the mission remains the same: providing meaningful educational experiences, preserving these treasured community spaces and expanding opportunities for students, families, and the broader community.

We are grateful to the staff members, leaders, and community partners who helped shape this work and look forward to sharing news of celebratory transitional events in the coming months. 

Sincerely,

Rick West
Superintendent

Chris Ward
Parks Director