Excellent school system!!! Teachers are fantastic- the staff works together to assure each…read morestudent is provided with the academic and emotional support required to make them successful!! Extra curricular activities are varied and provide many opportunities for the students to grow in an all around way. Excellent band/chorus programs, therapy ponies, early middle college as well as technical training opportunities. Student run coffee shop. Not a better school in HIllsdale County!!

Great elementary school. Awesome teachers and staff. My kids all love it there. Fantastic education…read moreand they really provide a comprehensive educational experience that will make your children well rounded and help prepare them for future school years! Highly recommended!!!

Daycroft is a school unlike any other…read more The Montessori philosophy is the foundation of what makes Daycroft so amazing. The kids that attend Daycroft are genuinely some of the nicest kids I've ever met. There is a huge emphasis placed on the "culture of kindness" and it shows every day. Children are treated with respect, and therefore respect one another. When behavior issues arise, children are counseled through it by their teachers, not simply punished. There is an emphasis on understanding and empathy rather than control. A HUGE reason this is possible is the faculty to student ratio. Every grade-level classroom has two full-time, certified teachers. The class sizes are nearly always 20 kids or less, so that's a 10-to-1 ratio max most of the time. When they go to specials (music, art, gym, Spanish, library, and technology), each class is split in half (half go to music and half to art, for example, then they switch) to preserve that ratio- unless the class makes more sense to have more kids (such as gym or orchestra). Daycroft is a school where everyone knows everyone by name- students know and are friends with other students at other grade levels, teachers know students' names in grades other than just the ones they teach, and specials teachers get to teach the same kids for up to nine years. The bond that is created with such a close-knit community is special. Daycroft is a family.

Our family has been at Daycroft Montessori for four years and are starting our fifth year. We…read morehighly recommend the school. We annually renew our decision to enroll at Daycroft due to the following: 1. The Montessori philosophy: mixed-age classrooms, children work uninterrupted on learning activities that they freely choose from a teacher-created set of options, children primarily learn by working hands-on with a myriad of subject-appropriate materials rather than verbal instructions from an instructor, and work plans designed for each individual child to the point that, depending upon the needs of the child, work plans can range from daily to weekly in duration. 2. Two teachers in each Daycroft classroom. This translates into a ratio of approximately one teacher for every 10 students. 3. The extraordinary religious, racial, and ethnic diversity of the children enrolled at Daycroft. For those of you reading this review who are new to the Montessori philosophy, let me explain that Montessori means disciplined choice. There is zero chaos in a Daycroft Montessori classroom. There may be a quiet hum, or happy chatter, but no chaos. From their workplan, children choose which item to address when. They are taught how to effectively focus and not interrupt other children's work. Because workplans are individualized to best fit their learning style, the children become deeply engaged. Before they move on to a new activity, the children must clean up their current activity. So, classrooms are tidy, calm, and, at the end of the day, everything is back in its place. We particularly love the diversity of the Daycroft families. Because it's so diverse, children learn experientially about the many skin tones, religions, & ethnicities. The teachers invite families in to share their rituals, foods, and experiences. Parents have the opportunity to become as involved as desired. I've volunteered in the classroom and my husband has volunteered in after-school. (There are quite a number of after-school activities for the children.) Daycroft has two locations. The Zeeb campus is K-6. Our family's experience has been at the Zeeb campus, which is where I will focus my review. The building is in excellent condition; bright, clean, and well-designed. It includes the K-6 classrooms, a robust library, media center, well-appointed art room, music room with risers and instruments, multi-purpose room (used for lunch, spanish, and after-care), kitchen, gym/auditorium, science room, sickroom, and administrative offices. All classrooms have smartboards and other types of technology (computers, etc). All children at Daycroft have Spanish twice a week and upper grades learn additional languages, and the etymology of language. Musical instruments are introduced at an early age, and increasingly sophisticated instruments are added as the children progress through the grades. There is an orchestra, choir, and band, and the children perform a concert semi-annually. Annually, in the spring, there is an all-school musical that is amazing. Every child is involved - creating the sets, singing in the chorus, and/or being on-stage. At Daycroft, children have choices appropriate to their age and abilities. All subjects are taught extensively and deeply throughout the children's time at Daycroft. For example, geometry and algebra are introduced in pre-school; each year, a child's learning of such subjects advances in sophistication. Because the children have individual workplans and uninterrupted worktime, they progress at their pace (with the teacher's encouragement and guidance, of course). What the children learn at Daycroft is far advanced from what my husband and I were taught at the same ages in our own school experiences. The administrative and teaching staff are always available to the parents. Two years ago, our daughter hit a personal "bump in the road". We spent time with her teachers and the head of school to work through this and found the experience to be very gratifying. All of us worked collaboratively to help our daughter traverse the situation successfully. From a distance, I've noted this scenario repeated successfully with other children at Daycroft. All children, at some point, will need some extra attention and the Daycroft staff has the time and commitment to provide it. From a physical perspective, children have gym three or four times per week. Plus, of course, recess. At the Zeeb campus, there are two playgrounds with age-appropriate equipment - one for lower elementary and a second for upper elementary. Zeeb has a garden, pond, and wetlands for the children to use in their curriculum. Some classrooms also include yoga daily for the children which has been a wonderful thing. Check out Daycroft Montessori - you'll be glad you did.

My child has attended KCDS for a year now (middle school) and we are thrilled! Personalized…read morelearning, caring teachers, safe environment, leadership opportunities and cross age learning all make KCDS a wonderful school. They have preschool through 8th grade and are welcoming to all students including LGBTQ, new students transferring at any grade, various cultures, etc. Highly recommend KCDS!

This school is simply amazing. Our son just started kindergarten there and it's impressive to see…read morehow he is learning. He loves his teachers and we love them for everything that they are doing. He has Spanish 4x a week, Gym 3x a week, Computers/Tech, Library, and Art. It's a STEM school that truly teaches critical thinking at every level. They also teach to the level of each child....something that most public schools cannot do. We are always greeted with a smile and staff in the school knows our child's name. They have morning care and aftercare available on the premise if you need it.

My son is a new student at Emerson this year. After several lackluster years in one of the top…read moreAAPS elementary schools, we knew we had to try something different, before he became completely disengaged from learning and school altogether. We have had an amazing experience at Emerson. My son's teacher is creative and funny -- she keeps the material engaging and challenging while presenting it from many different angles to meet different learning styles. The class sizes are small - limited to 20 kids. Students learn a foreign language, have lots of time in computer lab working with an IT instructor, a great hands-on science program where the kids are doing experiments in the lab, a phenomenal music program, and many other kinds of enrichment that you just don't get in public schools. You pay for it, of course, but so far, we have not regretted a single penny. The real payback for us is that our son is happy to go to school again for the first time in two years. That has probably less to do with all the bells and whistles and more to do with making my son and every kid feel that they are understood, recognized, and appreciated as a unique individual, which Emerson seems especially good at.

Sunday school events are fun especially Easter. kid friendly, Sunday school for the kids and they…read morehave the service (ministry) for adults

From the owner: We share Jesus Christ.read more

As a social worker I spend a lot of time going in and out of Detroit public schools. I see some…read morethings that really make the hair stand up on the back of my neck. And then, occassionally, I see a few gems. This school is one of those gems. UPA and University Prep High School both use project-based learning so that kids can really focus on the things that interest them. All students do regular internships which are supervised by a local field instructor and a teacher (they get school credit for the internship). This gives them a chance to refine their interests and get exposed to the work world. But, a few things to note. UPA is a bit overrated in terms of it's academic rigor. Although it is a world above most of the DPS schools I visit, not all graduates are going to be prepared to start at a mid-range or top tier university. I've seen kids advanced from grade to grade (particularly in math) who really don't have the basics down well enough. And, another important thing to remember about UPA is that their teaching approach does not work for all students. Some kids need a lot more structure and will flounder when given so much academic freedom and responsibility for their own education. Parents of UPA students need to stay in close contact with the teachers and review their student's work on a very regular basis. Overall, this is a great school. The campus is well laid out, the rooms are clean and things are in repair. There's not a lot of violence. The teachers and staff are very good at communicating with parents and they take a personal interest in their students.

I think its good for the city. Nice looking charter school. We went to take my god daughter b-day…read morecupcakes. You sign in and have to call to confirm. They require the kids to do an expedition project every month which is a good thing for kids to do in my opinion helps them to discover something new. You have to stand in a long line of cars just to pick up your kid but that's better than leting them run around and risk someone taking them. Great School Donate today!!!

Great place for career camps in summer. So many options for kids and they love it. Affordable for…read moreparents also. Great instructors, this is my son's third year and he loves it.