As we continue our “Live in the D” Back to School Week, we want to help you and your kids have a great start to the school year. As always, it’s important to find the right school for your child.
Doctor Derrick Harrison, principal of Plymouth Educational Center in Detroit, joined “Live in the D” to share some tips on what you should think about when choosing a school.
Harrison said that when choosing the right school for your child, you should visit the school and talk to the administration about how the school speeds up learning, builds a sense of community and gives students the support and resources they need to grow.
Traditional classrooms are organized into rows and columns, but schools and education are changing in many other ways. Harrison said that at Distinctive Schools, a flexible learning environment is set up so that it is easier to be free. He said that it takes the needs of the students and parents into account and makes the school less strict.
Families are also important to learning, and Harrison said that people should look for places that are hubs for the community and have things like food banks that give families food, backpacks with school supplies, and one-to-one technology for students to help the whole family.
Programs that address social and emotional needs are also important. Harrison underlined that usually when funds are tight in schools, key support employees are cut. He said they put support staff first and make sure there are school physiologists, social workers and interventionists.
Distinctive Schools has four campuses in Harper Woods, Redford, Plymouth and Flat Rock.
Visit distinctiveschools.org to learn more about the learning environment and programs that unique schools offer and to sign up a child in your life.