Ann Arbor Learning Community

4377 Textile Road

School District

Ann Arbor Learning Community
Grade

K-12
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:47
Type

charter

School Map for Ann Arbor Learning Community

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by other on March 24, 2019

This is a terrible school and I would never send a child here! My brother and I were both sent here and they didn’t help children with disabilities or help children who are being bullied. This is by far the worst school I have ever been to! Please do your kids a favor and do NOT send them here.
Submitted by parent on December 13, 2017

We selected this school because of the project based learning environment. Moving from out-of-state, the selection was a leap of faith, but we could not be happier with our decision. Our only regret is that our older children didn't get the chance to experience school in this format. Our children are not only gaining academically, they are growing as individuals.
Submitted by student on June 17, 2017

I love the small community size and class sizes. I feel like kids are encouraged and expected to think for themselves. My kids got extra help when they struggled with reading at a young age.
Submitted by parent on March 12, 2016

The teachers are deeply involved in helping their students reach their highest potential. They offer real-world, hands-on learning opportunities, such as gardening on the school grounds. A good teacher is one who is emotionally invested in helping children, and not one who is "dialing it in" for the steady paycheck. I haven't met any of the latter among the staff at AALC. They all seem passionate about what they do. I think that speaks volumes about what kind of school this is.
Submitted by other on March 11, 2016

AALC provides a caring & safe environment where every child's learning & growth is valued.
Submitted by other on January 19, 2016

Freezing. Why not pay for heat? Teachers and staff even know to wear layers as if camping. Terrific teachers. Positive environment for children. Seriously cold and that's just not right.
Submitted by parent on December 09, 2015

AALC has provided a loving, supportive environment for my kids. It's a school where they learn by doing, not by sitting in seats and listening. The four agreements echo our values as a family, and I am confident my kids are learning critical thinking and social skills, not just how to take a test.
Submitted by parent on December 08, 2015

If you're a parent that is dedicated to partnering with your child and their teachers to create an the best learning experience, this is your school. We came here for community, environmental education, social responsibility and the 4 agreements (see the AALC website About Us page). We found that and more! When we started here our son had been bullied and he was very behind in his math skills. Over the years all of his talented, caring teachers worked in partnership with us to get him caught up educationally as well as emotionally. His teachers worked hard to provide the best education during the school year and beyond. When we asked how we could help, they gave us the guidance on how to provide extra opportunities for him to review and advance after school and over the summers. After attending AALC for 6 years our son is doing great! During his education at AALC he learned to love learning again, he began to participate and became active in his own education. His middle school experience gave him strong critical thinking skills, the chance to have interesting intellectual discussions and a chance to grow socially while still being able to be a kid. Over the years he has made many lasting friendships here. He is now attending high school and because he has a good educational foundation and has strengthened his social skills he is doing fantastic!!! Learning takes an active partnership between parents, children and their teachers, we thank AALC for working with us to help our son reach his full potential as an active and thoughtful student.
Submitted by parent on December 08, 2015

AALC is the BEST thing that has ever happened to our family! The dedicated teachers, the involved families, the sense of community. The small classroom sizes, the community gardens, the morning hugs from children that aren't even mine! There isn't one day that I walk into that door that I don't have a smile on my face. Love, love, love you AALC!
Submitted by parent on November 19, 2015

There is much to love at AALC. The staff is incredibly dedicated, the students are encouraged to treat others with respect, and there are many dedicated families who give their time and support to the school. I feel like the values I strive teach my daughter at home, like empathy, curiosity, and creativity, are bolstered by spending her days at AALC. She is participating in a vibrant academic community with social and environmental lessons that would be hard to find at most other schools.
Submitted by parent on November 18, 2015

AALC is the only place that I feel my children can grow and learn. Their smiling faces and the love they feel for the entire community is enough for me to know I made the right choice. They are nurtured and respected for who they are... I couldn't ask for a better environment for my children to thrive as human beings!
Submitted by parent on November 17, 2015

My daughter is thrilled to go to school every day. She is learning in an environment where she is treated with respect, kindness, and encouragement. She is the happiest Kindergartener on the block.
Submitted by parent on October 08, 2015

The teachers are caring and have done a great job teaching and balancing student work, play, communication, and passing on the love to learn.
Submitted by parent on August 14, 2015

Great things about AALC:Warm and Welcoming culture. This is very much a family friendly community made up of educators, staff, students, and parents (and little sibs!) who believe in inclusion, acceptance, and diversity. It's a great place for quirky kids who might struggle socially in more traditional school settings. Kids learn respect and acceptance from the start. My son has Asperger's and is accepted wholeheartedly.The model of education at AALC is holistic, age appropriate, hands on, and low tech Childhood is respected. Your child is seen as a person, not a potential test score. If your kid has an issue, AALC works with your family to find a solution. Classrooms feel warm and welcoming. Teachers are gentle but firm. They really care about and enjoy working with their kids! And the parents!Monthly field trips and take home parent-child projects related to topics taught in the classroom. Two half hour recesses a day! Art and P.E. twice a week. Hands on learning centers. Reading Buddies program. Great curriculum choices. Leveled instruction for math, reading, and spelling with opportunities to move up when material is mastered. Geo Ed: Each classroom has a garden! See the blog at http://aalcgeo.blogspot.com/ for more info on this awesome program.Downsides (bc nothing is perfect).No busses. You drive and pick up. No hot lunches. Kids bring their own. Sometimes school doesn't publicize events well enough though this seemed to improve as the year went on. The Art Teacher keeps every thing til the end of the year. Specials teachers could do a better job communicating with parents about what kids are doing in their classes. Art is really important to our family so we actually do like knowing!No sports teams due to budget and insurance costs. AAPS Rec and Ed sports programs are open to county residents though if you have a kid who loves sports.The playground could use a more accessible play structure.The one major thing I don't like is the early start time: 8:15 a.m. is when classroom instruction begins. This is not ideal for my child but we make it work because AALC is worth it.*Some people might be leery about low tech but keep in mind even many Silicon Valley parents limit tech in elementary because its better for brain development.
Submitted by parent on August 29, 2014

We had to leave this school due to frantic teacher turnover.While the overall ideals and education are aimed at the whole child everyday functionality of this school is lacking.The are and music classes although existent they function as clandestine entities in the school .The principal is nice but does not implement changes required by parents.Math is most kids weakness and display of kids frustrated over a math problem is common sighting on the hallways.Drama program taught by the Art teacher is great.Gardens are great too.The music teacher is good but overwhelmed.
Submitted by parent on June 12, 2014

I love this school. My daughter was there from kindergarten through to grade 8. The community structure is incredible, parents and students alike both feel it. My daughter has been taught how to learn here rather than just go through the motions. She learned to think independently and to question all things. I feel the community agreements here have fostered individuality rather than conforming to those around you. This is a fabulous school from having older kids mentor younger kids to working in the community garden. I searched for a school where I knew my daughter would be challenged, safe and to learn to love school and learning and that is what I found at AALC. The teachers are wonderful. It was a total positive experience for our family.
Submitted by parent on January 20, 2014

My children have attended this school since 2004. It seems to have grown too fast. Middle school experience is mediocre to poor. Teacher concerns not addressed since September. There is no where to turn with said concerns as the Principal or "Dean" as they prefer to call it is also in the same role as the Superintendent. There is a clear lack of transparency or accountability by the administrative staff.. Good school for elementary. Do not recommend for Middle school grades.
Submitted by parent on January 28, 2013

Nothing is for everyone and AALC is no exception, This is our family's fifth year at the school, so it has obviously met most of our needs. My child is very comfortable here, removed from the aggressiveness of some of the kids in the regular public school he attended in grades K-2. I really have not heard of any bullying, contrary to what some have written here. I do have concerns about the academics in the strictest sense of the word, but really appreciate that the kids learn how to learn here. That, and the critical thinking skills they develop here will serve them well beyond the years of standardized testing we subject our kids to.
Submitted by parent on August 15, 2012

This school is unique in that they claim to be a tight community but there is very little accountability for the teachers. If something goes awry in the classroom or a child is not progressing or learning, the problem is always pushed back on the parents - the teachers are masters at pushing back and not resolving problems.
Submitted by parent on May 08, 2012

My child was at AALC for two years. All classes are blended so there was a grade 2-3 instead of two AND three. The classroom work was the same for all kids in the class regardless if they were grade 2 or 3. The next year, when grade 2 was promoted to grade 3, the kids were placed with the same teacher and given the same work as they had the previous year. What a waste and lack of progress for the kids! Special needs students were placed in the regular classrooms and my child spent two years with two children who would scream, cry, or have tantrums often. That was unsettling and disruptive for the class and made it difficult for my child to learn and perform. MEAP and other tests show that AALC is far behind Ann Arbor and Saline Area Schools, which appear to be the best public schools in the area. We had a great experience with a charter school where we moved from, so we chose South Arbor Charter Academy, which ranked slightly higher than the public schools and far exceeded AALC. My child was fortunate to be admitted there and needed special attention for the first year to catch up to classmates. If I could change the past, I would never have placed my child in AALC.