Emerson School

5425 Scio Church Road

Ann Arbor, MI 48103

22 Reviews

School District
Grade

K-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by student on January 17, 2025

I go here and it's nice! sometimes the teachers are kinda strict and baby the older kids more than they should but I love everything else!
Submitted by parent on April 21, 2023

We have two kids at Emerson, both started in Kindergarten and both have had wonderful experiences. There is a strong sense of community at Emerson and the teachers are absolutely phenomenal. Also the school administrators are superb. They listen, observe and take action. They have helped us with two bullying incidents and in both cases, they did a great job at addressing our concerns and did not give up until they had completely resolved our issue. Andy Zimmer is a skilled leader and has been a lifeline to the school in every way. We are very happy with Emerson!
Submitted by parent on February 06, 2021

The school, administration, and teachers do truly care about the children and families. We have been very pleased with our experience in the Lower School.
Submitted by parent on February 01, 2021

We did not have a good experience with the middle school. My child is very bright, as are most if not all of the students at the middle school. We left the public school system because we were disappointed with teaching at the middle school level. At Emerson, my child was initially welcomed, even though most of the students had been in class together since the early grades. We found some teachers fantastic, but many others lackluster and unimaginative. The health teacher was not equipped to effectively teach teens and pre-teens about topics involving sexual orientation. The school social worker was great but seemed frustrated by the administration's lack of understanding and support for her work. The head of the middle school was ineffective in helping students resolve conflicts and was overly protective of a student who had harassed my child. We overlooked a lot during our time there but it got to the point where we were counting the days left in 8th grade. Another thing I found strange is that parents roam the school like they own the place. In middle school, they are in the building helping their kids put books in their lockers during the first few days of school and throughout the year they go in and out freely. I found that off-putting, as kids should have their own space and develop some independence and separation at that point. Parent involvement is great but in middle school it should be different than in the younger grades. But I guess when you're paying hefty tuition, you feel ownership. The one good thing I can say is that my child was well prepared to start high school.
Submitted by parent on January 30, 2021

Emerson is a wonderful school for bright kids who enjoy learning and for families that care about raising children with character and values. My eldest has been at the school 4 years. He loves it. My youngest will start in the Fall. I have always found the leadership and the teachers to be excellent- they listen and communicate well with parents and are invested in their students. My child was bullied a bit last year. His teacher supported him in resolving the problem on his own. She also spoke to the child and his family. Our family is not well off. My kids attend school on scholarship and I have never felt that the kids or other parents were anything but welcoming. I have no concerns about sending my African American child to Emerson. 40% of students are non-caucasian and the curriculum educates kids about diversity. Teachers support different learning styles and really know and appreciate all students.( I just paused for a couple minutes to consider whether I could think of some criticism to balance such a positive review. I couldn't!)
Submitted by parent on December 29, 2020

My child attended in Middle School and we were so glad when it was time to move on to high school elsewhere. There are some very good teachers and I suppose the school is good for a certain type of family and student. It's a very well-off and homogeneous crowd. Their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is strong on paper only. Bullying is ineffectively dealt with. They have no understanding of the anxiety and trauma bullying can bring about and fail to enforce effective consequences for offenders. Not at all impressed with the leadership. Good riddance.
Submitted by parent on April 25, 2019

Absolutely excellent!. All three of my children went there. One started the end of 3rd grade; th next in second grade and the last one in first grade.
Submitted by parent on March 22, 2018

Emerson is about so much more than academic excellence, which is the reason we originally chose this school. It is a caring community of educators who truly love my children, are passionate about teaching, and inspire a lifelong love of learning. Equally important, Emerson teachers build character in our children by reinforcing values that we teach at home-- respect, honesty, inclusion, cooperation, integrity, commitment, compassion, and gratitude. We couldn't be happier with this outstanding school and the wonderful families who are part of this community.
Submitted by parent on March 22, 2018

Emerson has been such a positive experience for my family - both the kids and us adults! My kids have been at Emerson for seven years now. They are thriving academically - they both love going to school, enjoy learning in every subject, and are being prepared to be independent, critical thinkers for the rest of their lives. It's an incredibly warm community with teachers, staff, and administrators who take the time to really get to know you and your child. I was reluctant to enter the world of private school, having attended public schools my whole life...but Emerson defied my stereotypes of private school in every way. I do not see overt displays of wealth or materialism and most families and kids are down-to-earth, creative, and interested in fostering a strong learning environment. Totally satisfied customer!
Submitted by parent on March 21, 2018

We transferred our child from a very good AAPS elementary school where he was nonetheless bored and didn't particularly want to go in the morning (and this is not to mention some disruptive children that the school had difficulty dealing with). The move to Emerson was an instant and lasting change. He is typically excited to go in the morning, and the teachers are able to keep him challenged. Other parents I have talked to have experienced a similar transition from other schools (even private ones) to Emerson.At Emerson, the small class sizes appeal to me as well. It helps the teachers and it helps the kids, no doubt in my mind. I think it also helps bright kids to be surrounded by other bright kids, especially those that are talented in different ways and help each other out, which they do here.The extracurricular activities are top-notch, from the music program to robotics (regional champs), from theater to sports (soccer champs, as I recall). I don't know of many elementary schools that start extracurricular choir, band, and orchestra in 3rd or 4th grade, but this one does. That's in addition to the normal music class that everybody takes. The art teacher is so inspiring that many kids stop in for 'open studio' during lunch break.There is a lot of dedicated parent involvement, at least as much as you would see at a very good public school. They can also be very generous; there is a significant scholarship fund for those with a gifted child who do not have the means to attend otherwise.If you have a gifted child, do not be scared off by the price of the testing required to apply - please just ask if the fee can be waived and the administration will consider your situation.
Submitted by student on December 12, 2017

this is the best school I've ever been to. the teachers are funny and the homework isn't too much to handle. it also offers after-school activities like basketball and soccer. I strongly hope more people go to this school.
Submitted by other on May 11, 2017

Emerson has some truly outstanding teachers and families. However, these are the exception rather than the norm. The middle school may be better than most of the Ann Arbor public schools, but be prepared for a very maladjusted experience. Teachers are, for the most part, too busy (they have 50-something children they have to deal with after all! - tell that to a public school teacher and hear the sympathy) and the children are, for the most part, from extremely privilege families who consider "Pretty Little Liars" to be acceptable social rules and TV programs for their children. Then there are the academics - while the expressed goal is to prepare children for high school, there is an over focus on grades and achievement and minimal focus on actual "learning." If your child has any special needs whatsoever, the school will write a list of "accommodations" but individual teachers do not always follow them and there are very few resources available for children to get help during school hours even though there is now a special needs resource teacher "available" to help middle school students. The current middle school administration seems to equate participating in academic competitions with intelligence and students who are otherwise smart but not interested in competing against their peers are treated as second class citizens. That said, there are some truly dedicated and devoted teachers still there. The rate of turnover and retirements in the past couple of years is indicative of where things are. Sad that this has not been a better experience.
Submitted by parent on March 21, 2017

Emerson has proved to be the right place for our daughter. She started at Emerson after three years at a small independent K-8 school. We were concerned about the adjustment from a small, multigrade classroom, but she fit right into the school, making new friends. She enjoys the larger array of amazing extracurricular opportunities such as orchestra and choir, as well as the excellent facility (a gym, soccer field, orchestra room). The school staff also organizes Science Olympiad and Girls on the Run, both of which she loves. The students are high achieving, and she enjoys being among them. The school has gone an extra mile to accommodate her strength in math. But most importantly, she loves to attend Emerson every day.
Submitted by other on September 29, 2016

We have been at Emerson for years. My children wake up every morning excited to go to school. They are ready to take on the wonderful opportunities Emerson provides each day. This school is warm and nurturing. The teachers do a wonderful job (largely due to the smaller class sizes) of really getting to know your child and understanding what his/her strengths are. Because they know your children so well, they are able to identify whether he/she needs more challenging work. The teachers make learning fun. The community is diverse both socially and economically. We have found there is a mutual respect for all here. We couldn't be happier with this school
Submitted by other on May 05, 2016

My daughter has been here for 4 years and has grown in her independence as well as her love for learning. The teachers and staff present love for children and learning and it has such a positive effect on how the kids feel about school. I see in my child excitement about going to school and challenging herself with learning. There is a family like feeling and the Emerson way is filled with compassion , caring , gratitude, and the love of life.
Submitted by parent on February 04, 2016

Honest opinion. In the five years our children went to Emerson the school went from being okay to bad. Money talks, and the parents, not the teachers and not the staff run the school. So, if you have money, and lots of it, your "gifted and talented" child will be accepted in the school, though not necessarily into the children of the "groupies" who "infiltrate" the school and roam the hallways, corridors and parking lots showing off their cars, poodles, and latest purse - during school hours. It truly is a disgusting display of money dictating the level of the education. Many parents who did not have advanced or academically gifted children paid their way in, and then the decision was made to dumb the curriculum down to that of the public schools. Makes sense. If you want an honest opinion and this website is willing to post this, do not bring your well-adjusted, gifted, and intelligent child to this school, especially if you want them to remain that way when they go to their next school. We have spoken to parents of truly bright kids who naturally went on to prestigious high schools only to be told they were not up to par of their classmates.
Submitted by parent on October 07, 2014

I just started my younger son in this school and have been extremely happy with all aspects so far. My elder son is already going for the last 2 years. There is a family like atmosphere here and at the same time children are being made to think out of the box and achieve bigger things than just excelling in exams. I would recommend this school to every child that is willing to take on this challenge!
Submitted by parent on June 28, 2014

We transferred from AAPS, and have been there for 4 years of elementary and middle school. I have to say that although we had high hopes, in all honesty the education here is not better than the public schools, which our other child went through. Lots of helicopter parents, each of whom has the most amazing and remarkable child to be born. IQ and potential matter much less than checkbook here. Like any school, there are some wonderful teachers to whom we are grateful, but others are all show with mediocre true teaching ability. The smaller classroom size is nice, but this also means that individual bullies have more power (parents and kids). If I had a do-over, I would save the money for great vacations, or grad school. My kid who stayed in AAPS had a great education, and got into their first choice school for next year.
Submitted by parent on April 26, 2014

Emerson School is an amazing community of people working together to raise children who are resilient, creative, and thoughtful. Thinking, not test-taking is emphasized, and there is a huge focus on the arts and developing the whole child. We love the school!
Submitted by parent on December 06, 2013

Our oldest is an alum and met some of the most amazing teachers at Emerson! Our lives are richer having met them. Sadly, recent changes in the curriculum & teaching assignments drove us to pull our younger children. Emerson today is not the same school our oldest attended. It once prepared students to walk into any advanced high school class knowledgeable & confident (our younger kids were not being prepared at the same level). When our oldest started, Emerson they worked a year ahead in math. Now math is taught at grade level with the public schools. Activities shifted away from academics & more toward helping kids "bond", but the activities were often just thrown together a couple of weeks prior. There are still some amazing teachers there, but when the school told us they do not claim to work ahead of our public school we decided it was time to leave. Our kids are thriving in public school and are learning many of the same things their old classmates are learning at Emerson. We really hope Emerson makes positive changes in their programs to once again meet the needs and challenges of gifted students. We will always be grateful for what Emerson did for our oldest.