Alexander Macomb Academy of Year Round Education

Mount Clemens, Michigan

Sharon S. Gryzenia, Principal

Dr. T.C. Wallace, Jr., Superintendent

The Alexander Macomb Academy is a K-Sixth Grade elementary school in the Mount Clemens Community School District. It is the only year-round school in the district and during the past four years it has undergone dramatic changes.

From 1994-2002 it was an Edison Project School named the Martin Luther King Academy. In June 2002 the partnership between Mount Clemens Schools and Edison dissolved and the leadership changed at the school. The name was returned to Alexander Macomb Academy, but the new leadership maintained the extended day and extended year format established by the Edison Project.

Students at Macomb Academy attend school seven hours and forty five minutes per day, one hour longer than the other elementary schools in the district. They begin school approximately two weeks before the other elementary schools and attend school two weeks after the other schools have been released for the summer, for a total of 200 school days per year. The school has an enrollment of approximately 320 students.

The student population is diverse with a minority population of approximately 70%. Three percent of its students have non-English speaking parents, and more than 70% are economically disadvantage.

All of the teachers at the academy are highly qualified as determined by No Child Left Behind Standards and Alexander Macomb has achieved AYP each year this the transition. It was awarded a report card grade of B by the Michigan Department of Education for both the 2003-04 and 2004-05 school year.

The staff at Macomb Academy works together, using everyone’s knowledge of best practices to improve instruction and student achievement and the efforts have paid off.

The Michigan Education Assessment Program test scores have risen significantly since 2002 in all subject areas. There has been a 65% increase in English Language Arts, a 50% increase in writing, a 22% increased in Social Studies and a 20% increase in Science scores. Students at the academy now score above state averages in Writing, Science and Social Studies.

Despite their successes the staff is not content with keeping achievement at current levels. Their goal is for all students to be academically successful and continue to focus on making their school and students exemplary.