Lifelong education is a hallmark of living in Kalamazoo. Universities, colleges, public and private schools, and day care centers are just the tip of the iceberg. There are also opportunities for focused education in the arts, philosophy, religion, science and nature. Prestigious local higher education institutions bring a wealth of cultural diversity, artistic experiences and athletic excellence to the region. Through a variety of community facilities and programs, Kalamazoo demonstrates a strong commitment to learning.
Kalamazoo Public Schools
Kalamazoo Public Schools (KPS) has set a goal of assuring that children have what they need to succeed in the real world. Serving grades pre-kindergarten through 12, this school system has a rich tradition of excellence and diversity, as well as a strong dedication to high literacy skills for all students. Programs of study include academics, music, drama and art, along with special- and advanced-needs programs. A wide range of extracurricular activities, including Class A athletics, gives students the opportunity to work together toward common goals. On-site technology centers, gyms, supervised playgrounds, music rooms and staffed libraries turn school facilities into active learning environments. KPS serves more than 11,000 students in two high schools, one alternative high school, two middle schools, one magnet middle school, nine elementary schools, seven magnet elementary schools, the Kennedy Center for infants and toddlers, and the Community Education Center for adults and families.
KPS leads the state and nation in developing 21st-century learning programs for students. During the 2003/2004 school year, the Instructional Technology Department participated in the Classroom Performance System (CPS) eInstruction with SmartBoard technology pilot testing program. The Traveling Instrumentation Project brings advanced technology into the district’s high school classrooms. And through partnerships with Western Michigan University, the district’s teachers have access to state-of-the-art teaching and learning development programs.
Kalamazoo Regional Education Service Agency (K/RESA) responds to the needs of public school students in Kalamazoo County by offering specially researched and designed educational programs. For example, the Kalamazoo Area Mathematics and Science Center offers pre-college engineering and four-year enrichment programs, including an annual health conference and a summer program. The first school of its kind in Michigan, the Center accepts students from public and private schools in Kalamazoo and St. Joseph counties. Initially funded by a grant from The Upjohn Company, the school designs its curriculum to address major issues in contemporary math and science.
Education for Employment, another K/RESA program, is one of the top five school-to-work transition programs in the country. It’s a cooperative venture among area school systems, Kalamazoo Valley Community College, and business and industry. Beginning at the elementary school level, students learn work-habit skills and begin exploring possible careers. In high school, students have the option for school-based and worksite occupational programs. Combining quality classroom work with hands-on learning in the workplace, this program ensures that employers can count on a skilled and educated workforce for years to come.
KPS believes in the importance of arts in education. Education for the Arts brings dance, literary arts, music, media arts, theater and visual arts into the classroom, while Excellence in the Arts is an outreach program taking classes to community cultural centers. Partnering with the Kalamazoo Symphony, KPS offers “A Symphony of Opportunity” with Artists-in-Residence, as well as after-school and summer enrichment programs. In 2003, KPS and the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo received a grant from the Michigan Council on Cultural Affairs for The Big Culture Lesson Project. Focusing on writing, this program included professional development for teachers, classroom writing experiences, and after-school and summer writing programs for students. Visiting literary artists worked closely with students and teachers. This successful effort was a joint venture with Third Coast Writing Project, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo Public Library and The Weaver’s Guild of Kalamazoo.
Portage Public Schools
Portage Public Schools (PPS) has long been recognized at state and national levels for its outstanding offerings. The district-wide Curriculum Instruction Council involves parent and community participation to ensure a cutting-edge curriculum in grades K–12. PPS offers a variety of programming, including dual enrollment at area colleges in addition to three countywide programs: Education for Employment, Education for the Arts, and the Kalamazoo Area Math and Science Center (KAMSC). PPS was the first district in the area to offer online high school classes. PPS also runs Curious Kids Day Care, the state’s largest single-site day care operation, which also features two satellite locations at elementary schools. The main site is open from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and offers care for children up to middle school age.
PPS is committed to supporting cultural diversity and equity in educational programs, extracurricular activities and community involvement by fostering a climate that promotes understanding, appreciation and acceptance of people who represent various values, customs, beliefs and cultural experiences.
Private School Choices
Several private schools also serve the area. Catholic Schools of Greater Kalamazoo is working to provide a faith-filled education for life. The system consists of a preschool, three elementary (K–8) schools and a high school. Transition to the “middle school” model is planned for the 2006/2007 school year. Elementary school programs consist of core curriculum classes, art, physical education, vocal and instrumental music, and computer technology. Sports, before- and after-school care, and all-day summer programs are also offered. Hackett Catholic Central High School emphasizes academics, the fine arts, performing arts, computer literacy and physical education. There are 12 sports opportunities for students, who come from more than 20 area school districts. In 2003, 95 percent of Hackett’s graduates went on to higher education.
Kalamazoo Christian School Association (KCSA) is preparing students to serve God responsibly by equipping them with knowledge, skills and a biblical vision for life. Kalamazoo Christian High School — located near Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo College — emphasizes academics, fine and applied arts, business education, physical education, and religion. Advanced placement and honors courses are also provided. Sports opportunities are in place for both boys and girls.
Kazoo School began in 1972 with the goal of educating the whole child and preparing independent thinkers and lifelong learners. The school’s small class sizes contribute to its warm, supportive environment. Curriculum emphasis is on academics, the arts, democratic decision-making, and the necessary skills and habits of living as a citizen in a democracy. In an economically diverse climate, parents and teachers work together to develop and strengthen programs for preschool, elementary and middle school students.
Paramount Charter Academy, a National Heritage Academy, focuses on challenging studies, character development and personal responsibility. For elementary grades, Paramount emphasizes a learning partnership among school, home and community.
Other private schools include The Montessori School for preschool and elementary students, Gagie School in Central City for students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, Kalamazoo Academy for elementary and middle school students, and Christian schools operated by local churches.
There are also more than 100 licensed day care centers in Kalamazoo County.
Higher Education
Western Michigan University
Founded in 1903, Western Michigan University (WMU) is Michigan’s fourth-largest research university. Its main campus in Kalamazoo covers more than 1,200 acres and has 136 buildings. Construction of the new School of Art facility begins in 2005.
With nine satellite campuses, WMU has a combined enrollment of more than 28,000 students. Dedicated to instruction and research, the university was recently named one of the top 100 public universities by U.S. News & World Report and is one of the 40 largest universities in the country. In 2004, Intel ranked WMU eighth in the nation for use of wireless computing technology on a university campus. For more than a decade, Down Beat magazine has named WMU School of Music one of the top three jazz music studies programs in the country. The Sky Broncos precision flight team won the 2002 National Intercollegiate Flying Association National Championship and placed second in the 2004 competition. The University Chorale won the 2003 Grand Prize in Europe’s International Robert Schumann Choral Competition.
Cutting-edge research and studies programs are also part of the WMU tradition. The university’s Department of Paper Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Imaging has the only program in the world with pilot plants on a single campus that can take a project from paper pulp to printed page. WMU’s new College of Engineering and Applied Sciences building is located on the 265-acre Parkview Campus, which is also the site of the university’s Business Technology and Research Park, home to more than two dozen high-tech companies and one of only 11 areas statewide designated as a Michigan SmartZone for economic development.
WMU offers 168 bachelor’s, 70 master’s, two specialist and 30 doctoral degree programs in its nine colleges. WMU is also a Carnegie-designated Doctoral/Research-Extensive University. Its degree completion program, Extended Education, meets the needs of those already in the workforce.
With more than 300 registered student organizations, WMU works diligently to serve its increasingly diverse student body. The culturally rich campus environment includes students from every state and more than 100 other countries. Students participate in 65 study-abroad programs. An invaluable center of the arts for the region, WMU hosts more than 1,200 plays, concerts and exhibitions on campus each year.
The WMU Broncos can be seen in a variety of NCAA Division IA sports. Men’s sports include baseball, basketball, football, hockey, soccer and tennis, while women’s sports include basketball, cross country, golf, gymnastics, softball, soccer, tennis, track and field, and volleyball. Broncos’ home games are a big draw and bring not only entertainment, but also economic benefits to the community.
Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo College provides a flexible, powerful, transforming educational experience in the liberal arts. The “K” Plan states the school’s commitment to academic excellence, liberal learning, freedom of individual conscience and appreciation of differences.
“The K,” founded in 1833, is among the 100 oldest colleges and universities in the country and boasts the most highly regarded international study program in the world. More than 1,200 students from at least 41 states and 22 other countries come here for the challenging undergraduate program as well as the outstanding opportunities for experiential education in domestic and international settings. The school recently received a $1.1 million, four-year grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute to expand its summer research program for students in the study-abroad program.
Sports in the Hornets’ nest include men’s baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, swimming/diving and tennis. Women’s sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, swimming/diving, tennis and -volleyball. Hornets’ team members regularly win awards for maintaining strong grade point averages.
Kalamazoo Valley Community College
Established in 1966, Kalamazoo Valley Community College (KVCC) is “a community of learning” with two campuses: the Advanced Technology Center on the Texas Township Campus and the Arcadia Commons Campus in downtown Kalamazoo.
With the goal of education for employment, KVCC offers programs in health careers, business, liberal arts and sciences, applied technology, computer information systems, graphic design, and other areas. The apprenticeship program focuses on employer-sponsored, on-the-job training in combination with classroom instruction. KVCC grants two-year associate’s degrees in addition to its certificate and post-associate certificate programs.
KVCC’s Cougars compete in men’s and women’s basketball, softball, baseball, men’s and women’s tennis, volleyball, and golf.
Kalamazoo Valley Museum, located on the Arcadia Commons Campus, is a public museum dedicated to history, science, technology and culture. The museum opened in 1996 and was financed by private contributions totaling $20 million.
KVCC’s Center for New Media trains future and current professionals for careers in the Information Age. Using the latest computer technology and individual artistic creativity, the Center for New Media is teaching the evolving skills for creating, packaging, animating and distributing information in today’s society.
The $9.6 million renovation, expansion and technical upgrade of the historic structure across the Kalamazoo Mall from the Radisson Plaza Hotel and Suites is a three-level, computer-packed structure featuring 13 classrooms, a large computer lab, workrooms, lounge areas and gallery space, which will feature student art.
Davenport University
Known as “Reinvent U.,” Davenport University is the largest independent, nonprofit, private university in Michigan. Its schools of Business, Health Professions and Technology and its MBA Programs offer courses at 30 locations throughout Michigan and northern Indiana, as well as online.
Founded in 1866 as Grand Rapids Business College, Davenport grants master’s, bachelor’s and associate’s degrees; diplomas; and certificates in business, computer technology and health care. Part-time and full-time students, including international students from more than 40 countries, appreciate Davenport’s emphasis on helping students get ahead in the workplace and in life. Leadership, problem solving and teamwork, as well as interpersonal, oral and written communication skills, are emphasized in all programs. Davenport is proud of its 96 percent placement rate for first-time graduates.
Cornerstone University
Cornerstone University is a theologically conservative institution of Christian higher education that strives “to enable individuals to apply unchanging Biblical principles to a rapidly changing world.”
Spring Arbor University
For nearly 130 years, Spring Arbor University has distinguished itself as the place where faith and learning meet. Since 1873, Spring Arbor University has combined a commitment to the liberal arts and a passion to see all truth from God’s perspective with purposeful training in the arts and the professions.
Spring Arbor University maintains a regional center prepared to offer innovative, cutting-edge degrees to further professional and personal development in the Kalamazoo area.
Michigan State University/ Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies
Michigan State University’s main campus is located in East Lansing, within two hours of Kalamazoo.
Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine in Kalamazoo is the home of the Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies (MSU/KCMS). This is a cooperative program between the university and the community, with MSU/KCMS partnering with Borgess Medical Center and Bronson Methodist Hospital to provide medical care for a diverse patient population. The integrated medical residency program offers 12 residency specialties.
Community Learning Opportunities
The Kalamazoo Public Library won National Library of the Year honors in 2002. With five locations plus the Law Library, Kalamazoo Public Library has a strong community impact. In cooperation with the Kalamazoo Community Foundation, the library sponsors Reading Together, a community reading project. Its bookmobile, computer training, interlibrary loan, literacy education, meeting rooms and Tech Center draw more than 1 million visitors each year. Patrons also come to the library for the Friends Bookstore, movies, classes, children’s programs, literary readings and programs by guest speakers. The combined collections of Kalamazoo Public Library and the other public, health, arts and academic libraries in the area total more than 4.5 million volumes.
Kalamazoo Partnership for Learning Technology (KPLT) is a cooperative venture of the Boys and Girls Club, the City of Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Public Library, New Genesis Incorporated, and Kalamazoo Alliance for Service Learn-ing (KASL). Tutors from Davenport University, Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo Valley Community College and WMU help children improve their computer skills.
The Air Zoo’s Education Department offers summer camps for children ages 6 to 17 and year-round classes for students from preschool through college age. Students study rocketry and principles of flight and enjoy the “Make-It, Take-It” activity program on different types of flight.
Founded in 1990, Southwest Michigan Visual Arts Academy provides classes for young artists aged 8 to 18. Drawing, painting, photo-graphy, sculpture and printmaking are just a few of the options.
The Arts Coun-cil of Greater Kalamazoo sponsors Arts in Educa-t--ion for grades kinder-garten through 12. The MAGIK (Making Arts Grow in Kalamazoo) program brings professional artists into the classrooms. Young Artists of the Week honors middle school and high school artists, culminating in the Young Artist of the Year Award.
Kalamazoo Institute of Arts (KIA) provides outreach education programs, including the ARTREACH traveling exhibit program; ARTMARKS AND REMARKS, which brings artists to classrooms; and ARTS classroom presentations and hands-on projects for elementary school students. ARTventure tours and the ARTworks Interactive Gallery at the museum provide fun and learning. The weekly ARTbreak, Funday Sundays and the lecture series draw adults and children to the museum. KIA Art School offers visual and mixed-media art classes for all ages. Art Camp energizes the summer months with work in two- and three-dimensional media geared for children.
Serving more than 50,000 young musicians and music lovers each year, Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra (KSO) brings professional musicians to preschool and elementary school classrooms with Musical Connections and Music on the Move. Programs for middle and high school students include string coaches for orchestra students, scholarships for private lessons, Student Performers Showcase and Perform with the Pops for school performing groups. For university and college students, KSO offers master classes, artist presentations and scholarships. For adults, there are classes and pre-concert talks.
The Gilmore International Keyboard Festival’s in-school programs include the Piano Learning Lab Project for keyboard instruction, after-school practice opportunities, Gilmore Keys Club, and the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra/Gilmore Partner Schools program. Outside the school classroom, students enjoy Piano Pizzazz, Festival Youth Concerts, KeysFest and Camp Gilmore Piano Camp. An Elderhostel lifelong learning program is presented in conjunction with the Gilmore International Keyboard Festival.
KVCC’s Kalamazoo Valley Museum in downtown Kalamazoo presents bilingual exhibits and activities in English and Spanish. Hands-On Happenings for children and families are held throughout the year. Freedom Camp is for children aged 9 to 12, and Summer Smorgasbord features fun science and history demonstrations. There are also history and science lectures for adults and a holiday planetarium program.
Focusing on holistic education, Fetzer Institute is a private foundation that explores relationships among body, mind and spirit. Founded by John Earl Fetzer, former broadcaster and former owner of the Detroit Tigers baseball club, the Institute offers programs and conducts research in science, leadership, integral practice and philanthropy.
Adventure Centre at Pretty Lake is an excellent place for students, teams, groups and families to learn by doing. Programs are designed to fit individual and group needs. Nature provides the classroom, and activities are the teacher here.
Kalamazoo Public Schools: Where High Achievement Is A Way Of Life
Leadership
• Kalamazoo Area Mathematics and Science Center is the first school of its kind in Michigan.
• KPS has one of the largest and most developed accelerated instruction programs in the state.
• KPS has one of the most comprehensive vocal and instrumental music programs in the nation.
• KPS has employed the first full-time drama teacher in the United States.
Scholarship
• KPS students continue to post SAT and ACT scores above state and national averages.
• KPS students receive millions of dollars each year in academic and other scholarship funds.
• KPS students have won international acclaim through participation in the International Mathematics Olympiad.
• KPS students have been selected for National Merit awards, National Achievement Scholarships, University of Michigan LSA Scholarships and dozens of other prestigious scholarships.
Western Michigan University Points of Pride
• U.S. News & World Report -consistently lists WMU as one of the nation’s top 100 public -universities.
• WMU is one of only 97 public universities in the United States to be granted its own chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s most prestigious academic honor society.
• Each May, medievalists from every state and some 25 nations converge on WMU for the annual International Congress on Medieval Studies.
• The University’s Lee Honors College was one of the nation’s first honors colleges.
• For the past decade, the WMU College of Education has been among the nation’s top 10 producers of professional educators.
• WMU’s Evaluation Center is regarded as one of the top three such research centers in the world and counts among its clients the U.S. Marine Corps, the U.S. Department of Education, the National Science Foundation, and the Alger, Kellogg and MacArthur Foundations.
Contact Information for Local Educational Resources
Adventure Centre at Pretty Lake • 269.375.1664 • www.adventurecentre.org
Air Zoo • 866.524.7966 • www.airzoo.org
Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo • 269.342.5059 • www.kazooart.org
Catholic Schools of Greater Kalamazoo • 269.345.6055 • www.catholicschoolsgreaterkzoo.org
Cornerstone University • 269.323.7417 • www.cornerstone.edu
Davenport University • 269.382.2835 • 800.632.8928 • www.davenport.edu
Fetzer Institute • 269.375.2000 • www.fetzer.org
Gagie School • 616.342.8008
The Gilmore International Keyboard Festival • 269.342.1166 • 800.347.4266 • www.gilmore.org
Kalamazoo Academy • 269.329.0116 • www.kalamazooacademy.org
Kalamazoo Christian School Association • 269.381.2044 • www.kcsa.org
Kalamazoo College • 269.337.7000 • www.kzoo.edu
Kalamazoo Institute of Arts • 269.349.7775 • www.kiarts.org
The Kalamazoo Public Library • 269.342.9837 • www.kpl.gov
Kalamazoo Public Schools • 269.337.0100 • www.kalamazoopublicschools.com
Kalamazoo Regional Education Service Agency • 269.385.1500 • http://server.remc12.k12.mi.us/kresa/
Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra • 269.349.7759 • www.kalamazoosymphony.com
Kalamazoo Valley Community College • www.kvcc.edu
• Texas Township Campus — 269.488.4400
• Arcadia Commons Campus — 269.373.7800
Kalamazoo Valley Museum • 800.772.3370 • http://kvm.kvcc.edu
Kazoo School • 269.3345.3239 • www.kazooschool.org
Michigan State University - Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies
• 269.337.4400 • 800.ASK.KCMS • www.kcms.msu.edu
The Montessori School • 269.349.3248 • www.themontessorischool.org
Paramount Charter Academy • 269.553.6400 • www.heritageacademies.com/Brix?pageID=30
Portage Public Schools • 269.323.5000 • www.portageps.org
Southwest Michigan Visual Arts Academy • 269.345.7630 • www.smvaa.org
Spring Arbor University • 800.930.9754
Western Michigan University • 269.387.1000 • www.wmich.edu
