"[citation needed] Howard City schools were combined with Sand Lake schools to the south in 1962, and renamed Tri County, because students from Kent, Montcalm, and Newaygo counties all attended.

[citation needed] Howard City is in northwestern Montcalm County, in the southeast corner of Reynolds Township.

The U.S. 131 freeway passes 2 miles (3 km) west of the village, with access from Exit 118.

[1] Tamarack Creek, a west-flowing tributary of the Little Muskegon River, passes through the north side of the village.

Sports include football, basketball, softball, baseball, wrestling, sideline cheer, competitive cheer, golf, track and field, cross country, bowling, poms and soccer.

In 2009, the varsity softball team took a District title, but fell short at regionals to Petosky.

Neighboring schools include Newaygo, Grant, Morley-Stanwood, Lakeview and Cedar Springs.

The district was a consolidation of the Sand Lake and Howard City school boards.

It came into existence on April 3, 1962, the day members of those communities voted in favor of consolidating their schools.

Prior to the consolidation, Howard City High School served the community.

Impetus for consolidation occurred when the State of Michigan adopted new standards for education which required school systems to spend additional funds.

A former member of the school board of Sand Lake, Charles Northup, stated, "Howard City was almost in the same predicament as us.

"[10] Sand Lake was a community which sought consolidation due to the financial strain from meeting the new requirements.