ACADEMICS
St. Michael Lutheran School is a state-approved private school, offering grades Preschool through Eighth, all taught by certified teachers. Our school is accredited by three separate accrediting bodies, including National Lutheran School Accreditation (NLSA).
The school prides itself on offering a Christ-centered, quality academic program. As an example, recent standardized test scores found our students' overall performance above the National average in reading, math, science, and social studies, with most year-end Kindergarteners reading. Our school was named #2 among Michigan District Lutheran Schools that administered the Iowa Test of Basic Skills.
These excellent scores are achieved through a blend of a Christ-centered environment, class size, outstanding certified teachers, and a strong curriculum.
In an effort to enhance the learning that goes on each school day, St. Michael offers fun and educational enrichment courses such as STEM Club, Drama Club, Yearbook and Junior Achievement just to name a few.
Overall, this proves to be a strong academic program that goes well beyond what is available to elementary students in surrounding districts. You may wonder how this can be, given the high-quality public schools in our community? The answer lies in the class sizes and the Christian values. Teachers at St. Michael Lutheran School are able to teach more reading and math, and also include non-traditional subjects such as history, geography, foreign language, and religion.
COMPUTERS & TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE
Our tech program integrates learning from kindergarten onward. We start with basic keyboarding and use educational games to reinforce core skills. Students access Chromebooks via a mobile cart for computer class and daily activities. We cover Microsoft Office, Google Apps, and other valuable software.
In fall of 2007, St. Michael added an initiative, which continues today. That Initiative provided a laptop computer for each middle school student for use in all subject areas. This was an innovative way to mesh technology with curriculum that few schools are able to offer at the time. Today, laptops have now become Google Chromebooks and the availability of technology has grown from the middle school program to all grades and all subject areas.
GOALS
- Support and sustain students work both at school and at home by eliminating disparities between home and school in terms of software and hardware. (short term)
- Seamless integration of technology into all aspects of the curriculum. (long term)
- Distinguish St. Michael Lutheran middle school program from other schools in the area
- Facilitate differentiated learning
- Provide a more challenging curriculum
BENEFITS
- Help students improve their technology and information processing skills, preparing students for higher education and jobs in the technology-driven global economy
- Provide crucial support for constructivist instructional practices and motivate students to become self-directed learners.
- Help students stay organized and on track with school work
In middle school, students dive deeper into technology. We start with Chromebook orientation and Google tools for collaboration. Projects become the focus, using various software. While typing practice continues, students use Chromebooks across subjects for note-taking, presentations (like Living History Night and Science Fair), and even science labs with digital probes. Our program exceeds state tech literacy standards, preparing students for high school success – one recent graduate even tested out of the high school computer course!
