BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. – For decades, an alternative high school in Oakland County has been an option for students who might not thrive in a traditional school setting.
Bowers Academy in Bloomfield Hills is located on a farm, students split their time between a classroom and a barn. However, Bowers Academy will close at the end of the school year, catching many off guard.
“This was a decision that was made behind closed doors, without any of our feedback or input or even a heads up,” said Michelle Gilbert, who has a daughter at Bowers. “I expected more from this district.”
Parents said their children were told the school was closing before they were notified by the district.
“Not being informed that Bowers was going to be closed was really a slap in the face to the parents and the families that need this place the most,” said Joel Ross, another parent. “And it shows that there is a lack of sensitivity, empathy and true caring for our kids.”
“I think that my biggest worry for my daughter is that she feels powerless. She feels like adults don’t listen to her,” Gilbert said.
The alternative high school is for juniors and seniors in Oakland County .. where students split their time between a classroom and a farm.
“The farm, the animals, the doing of chores -- it’s all part of the process of what these kids are experiencing here at Bowers Farm,” Ross said. “You can’t duplicate what they’re doing here there.”
In a statement, the district said, in part, “The program will expand to serve grades 10–12, maintaining its focus on small class sizes, personalized learning, and multiple graduation pathways. Relocating to the high school campus will give students access to broader academic, extracurricular, and counseling resources while preserving the close-knit environment central to alternative education.”
“Everything that is not moving to the main campus is the essence of what the program is all about,” Gilbert said.
“It’s very distressing, because my daughter, who has been going to Bowers for this entire year, has really grown by leaps and bounds by being here,” Ross added.
There are 17 juniors at Bowers Academy. The district said they will have personalized academic counseling and staff support when they move to the main campus next school year.
“I want them to really reconsider what they’re doing and the impact it’s going to have on the lives of these kids, because some of them are here because they need to be here, not just because they want to be,” Ross said. “This is a life-changing school, and it’s a life-saving school.”
A petition to keep the academy open has since collected 1,000+ signatures.
The district said that when students move back to the main campus, they will still have access to the Bowers School Farm.
