June 27, 2012 – Very 1st Henry Ford Academy: Elementary School Newsletter!
Henry Ford Academy: Elementary School welcomes Curtis Lewis, Ph.D. as its founding principal. An accomplished urban educator, Dr. Lewis comes to HFA: Elementary School from Teach for America – Detroit, where he was a manager of Teacher Leadership Development. During that time, he was also a visiting instructor at the University of Michigan and a contracted Student Services Specialist with the Lansing (MI) School District. Dr. Lewis earned his Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Michigan State University. After seven years of teaching at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, he returned to school to obtain his Ph.D. from Michigan State University. We are glad he has chosen HFA: Elementary School as the place to begin his work as a school leader.
Henry Ford Academy: Elementary School opens in September 2012 in the newly transformed Duane Doty School, a historic elementary school building located at 10225 3rd Street, Detroit, MI 48202. We will serve up to 360 students in grades K-5 from the first year forward. Our school is tuition free.
HFA: Elementary is a Thompson 90/90 School developed and managed by Henry Ford Learning Institute, governed by Public School Academies of Detroit, and authorized by Grand Valley State University.
Teachers Are On Board
We are pleased to share that we’ve hired sixteen teachers so far. This includes teachers at each grade level from K-5 and a health/physical education teacher. We have interviews lined up for additional grade level teachers, art and special education teachers, and a school social worker. We are building an exemplary team that is excited to meet our students and families. All school staff will attend three weeks of professional development in August and will have time to get their rooms ready for our new students by September 4. We can’t wait to see your children in our new school!
Progress on School Building
If you haven’t driven by our building at the corner of Third and Glynn recently, you should head over and see the changes occurring each week. As of Wednesday, June 20, the hard-working crews were replacing old windows with brand-new energy efficient ones that sustain the Arts & Crafts design of the 1908 building, painting the outside trim around the top of the building in a warm gold color, bricking the outdoor walls of the brand-new gymnasium and running all the wiring that will power the amazing technology that teachers and students will use. We expect to begin hosting tours of the building and holding open houses in early August. Watch your email, U.S. mail, and Facebook for updates.
Student Enrollment
We want to give a hearty “thank you” to all families who have turned in completed application packets. Out of 344 applicants, we currently have 224 students who are fully enrolled. Enrolled students represent fifteen communities in the Detroit-area. If you have not completed your enrollment packet, please do so immediately and turn it in at HFA: School for Creative Studies at 485 W. Milwaukee. If no one is in the office, please deposit your documents in the locked box just outside the main office. We now have a waiting list for kindergarten; if you want to be on the list you must have a completed packet on file. We have immediate spots available in grades 1 through 5, but we must have your completed application packet to hold your spot. Questions? Please call Kenya Buchanan at 313-481-4000, extension 1102 or email her at kbuchanan@hfli.org.
