University Prep Academy - Middle School
Quick facts
Points of pride
UPA Middle School is devoted to developing the whole scholar. Our challenging curricula develops growing minds with grade-level content, which includes a stellar arts program in dance and orchestra and unique offerings in Spanish and technology. Together, we explore community building through Crew, a school-wide program where scholars grow and learn habits to offer mentorship and exposure to new ways of thinking.
Our wide variety of after-school offerings include athletics, such as basketball, volleyball, and cheerleading, and clubs such as NJHS, Student Council, art, robotics, math club, cooking, and mentoring programs.
Leadership
Mrs. Lloyd has been in education for over 20 years as a teacher and administrator.
Management Company
A Member of the Grand Valley State University Community
Location & Contact
08:15 am - 03:15 pm
08:15 am - 01:15 pm (Wednesday)
Transportation
No, Transportation is not Provided
Commute Time
Public Transportation
To see available transit times enter your location below.
Enrollment
| Enrollment Details | |
|---|---|
| Enrollment | 480 |
| Accepting New Students? |
Yes - 6th, 7th, 8th |
| Application Required | Yes |
| Application Priorities | N/A |
| Enrollment Instructions | For enrollment, families must complete the application online. To complete the application, families should go to https://uprepschools.com/admissions/ to create an account. Families should be prepared to do an online submission of their student's birth certificate, immunization records, and residency information. For more enrollment information, please contact the admissions office at 313-887-1613 ext. 1122 or email them at admissions@uprepschools.com. |
Academics & Activities
Curriculum
At UPA Middle School, our curricular philosophy is rooted in our core values, which focus on the building of our scholars' capacity to learn and grow as individuals and in collaboration with one another. Our core content programs include Eureka Math, ELA Expeditionary Learning Modules, Science Stemscopes, and New Visions and the MC3 curriculum for social studies. Scholars have elective courses in Spanish, orchestra, physical education, and dance workshop. Socio-emotional development is explored through our Crew curriculum, a specialized program that focuses on character-building, developing community, and mentoring.
Support Programs
Top Activities
UPA Middle School has a very successful after-school program with much to offer! We partner with the U of M in a robotics program where scholars are able to build robots for competition. Our Extended Day program allows further opportunity to hone math and ELA skills and complete unfinished learning. The National Junior Honor Society meets regularly and provides peer tutoring. The athletic offerings are very popular and boast a boys and girls basketball team, competitive cheerleading, and girls volleyball.
After-school offerings also include orchestra club, robotics, dance workshop, cooking, and art.
| Top Activities |
|---|
| Sports |
| Sports |
| Dance |
| Chorus/Vocal |
| Band/Orchestra |
| Arts |
| Leadership and Mentoring |
| Student Government |
| Newspaper/Journalism |
| Student Clubs |
| STEM/Robotics |
| Academic Games/Competition |
Academic Offerings
In the challenging curriculum offered at UPA Middle School, scholars have the opportunity to explore project-based learning in math, ELA, science, and social studies. This helps young minds get engaged in ways that are meaningful and help our scholars become change agents in their community. Scholars also have the ability to do hands-on work in science classes, where they are encouraged to experience phenomena and make explorations. In social studies, historical thinking skills are necessary to probe primary documents and allow scholars to make their own discoveries regarding history. Eureka math encourages every scholar to dive into math standards using mental tools that they continually sharpen in daily work. ELA explores literacy in a way that connects with their everyday lives, making reading and writing come alive in fresh, new ways.
| Academic Offerings |
|---|
| Math interventionist |
| Reading interventionist |
| Homework help |
| Tutoring |
| Honors society |
| STEM |
| Arts |
| Foreign Languages |
| Field Trips |
| Virtual/online classes |
Culture
Is there a parent advisory council?
YesOur parent advisory council, or Parents As Partners, meets every month to discuss ideas for parental involvement, academic achievement, and community engagement. One or more members of this group also sits on the School Improvement Team and the District Improvement Team to provide assistance with curricular decision-making and feedback on various district and school initiatives and programming.
Partnerships
School Safety Culture
UPA Middle School is structured to have the highest safety standards in the physical building and in social interactions. We adhere to anti-bullying policies that protect against unsafe situations. These are fully explained and discussed in community meetings with scholars throughout the school year. Our community agreements are age-appropriately designed to help middle schoolers understand which behaviors are safe and promoted in our school building and which are not.
Our suspension policies are mitigated by restorative practices, which seek to mediate conflicts and bring restoration to scholars who have not followed our community agreements.
Our staff acts as mentors, so that when social difficulties arise, they can be safely discussed in "restorative circles" or during Crew time. This allows scholars to have a voice and exercise their agency in maintaining healthy interactions.
