The focus of this category is on schools and other educational programs in Ada, Michigan.
This may include all levels of education and training, including childcare services, nursery schools, pre-kindergartens, K-12th grade schools, vocational schools, colleges, and universities, as well as training programs of any sort, whether public, private, or religious. Topics related to education in Ada are also appropriate here.
The first school in Ada was probably held at the Ada Baptist Church, beginning around 1853. The first dedicated schoolhouse was likely a wooden structure situated near the mouth of the Thornapple River. A second wooden schoolhouse was built near the current site of the Ada School in 1854.
In 1872, a new brick school was built along Ada Drive, at a cost of $5,000. On October 9. 1914, it burned in a fire started by vagrants in the basement, but was soon rebuilt.
In 1950, a new addition to the front of the building added new classrooms, a gymnasium, kitchen, lunchroom, and principal's office.
There were three divisions to the Ada School system. Primary school, lasting four years, was followed by three years of grammar school, and three years of high school. After 10th grade, most students attended Lowell High School until graduation.
In 1956, thirteen one-room schools consolidated to form the Forest Hills School District. The Ada School was still used as a school until the new Ada Elementary School was constructed in 1968.
Known today, as Forest Hills Public Schools, the district serves portions of Ada Township, Cascade Township, and Grand Rapids Township, as well as parts of the cities of Grand Rapids and Kentwood. FHPS school campuses located in Ada or Ada Township include Eastern High School, Central Middle School, Eastern Middle School, Central Woodlands 5/6 School, Goodwillie Environmental 5/6 School, Ada Elementary School, and Ada Vista Elementary School.
Other schools in Ada include St. Patrick School, a PK-8th grade Catholic school, and Ada Christian School, also serving students in PK-8th grade. Journey Academy is a K-10th grade private school, with elementary, middle, and high school levels. Canterbury Creek Farm Pre-School enrolls students from ages three to six, also offering summer camp sessions, and Big Steps Little Feet is a Christian childcare and preschool facility.
There may be others, as well.
Recommended Resources
Offering a curriculum for preschool, elementary, and middle school students, Ada Christian School offers a general educational curriculum, as well as a hands-on learning and interactive field trips, including survival camps, a day in a one-room schoolhouse, and other experiences, as well as a fine arts program for performing and visual arts, indoor and outdoor PE and health classes, technology integration, and outdoor education, applied to all classes and subjects.
https://www.adachristian.org/
The conservatory offers private music lessons in piano, voice, violin, viola, cello, guitar, ukulele, bass guitar, flute, drums, and percussions, as well as monthly group classes and summer day camps for students of all ages and abilities, and live video lessons. The conservatory sponsors several performances throughout the year. Its faculty is introduced, and its programs are defined, including costs for private lessons, a calendar of events, and contacts.
https://adaconservatory.com/
Located on Ada Drive SE in Ada, Michigan, Ada Elementary School is a campus of Forest Hills Public Schools, serving students in K-4th grades. An overview of the school includes demographics, office hours, and contacts. Other resources include a staff directory, media center, school calendar, lunch schedules and menus, and school news and announcements. Daily schedules for grades K-4, Early Childhood Special Education, Preschool, and other programs are included.
https://www.fhps.net/elementary-schools/ada/
Established in 1973 by the First Congregational Church of Ada, the preschool is still housed within the church but governed by a board that includes parents of current students, church members, and the preschool director. Organized as a non-profit organization, the school is state-licensed and accredited by the NAEYC Academy for Early Childhood Program Accreditation. The address is given, and its location is shown on a map, along with staff contacts.
https://adavillagepreschool.org/
Available to all elementary school students enrolled in Forest Hills Public Schools, Ada Vista Elementary School is a Spanish immersion school for students in K-4th grade. Enrollment is based on either sibling registration or an in-district lottery of interested students. Students learn the same curriculum as other students in the district, but they are taught in Spanish. Students learn to speak Spanish in the 1st grade, English instruction begins in 2nd grade, and increases thereafter.
https://www.fhps.net/elementary-schools/ada-vista/
Centrally located in downtown Ada, Michigan, the childcare and preschool incorporate a Christian aspect to its curriculum, including prayers before meals and Bible stories. Founded in 1994, the program has expanded from one classroom to fifteen and is currently housed in a two-story building, where care is provided for children from six weeks of age through twelve years, using two infant, eight preschool, and two school-age classrooms with an open-floor concept, which is highlighted here.
https://www.bigstepslittlefeet.org/
Situated on an eleven-acre farm in Ada, Michigan, the school offers classes for children aged three to six, as well as summer camp sessions. Its curriculum is focused on reading, writing, and math skills, while the school also offers special activities, such as horse rides, cookouts, hikes, and scavenger hunts. Enrollment in school and summer camp sessions is featured, along with a calendar of events, contacts, a gallery of photographs, and an informational blog.
http://adafarmschool.com/
Serving students from kindergarten through the tenth grades, Journey Academy features elementary, middle, and high school levels. Located on Spaulding Avenue SE, the Ada, Michigan private school is featured here, including its goals, philosophy of education, and an overview of each of its school levels. Frequently asked questions are answered, and a tour of the campus may be scheduled through the site. The application process may be begun through an online form.
https://journeyacademy.org/
Opened by Saint Patrick Parish in 1893, the school included a high school from 1920 to 1963. Its current school, built in 1963, serves PK-8th grade students. Classroom pages are featured, with various information displayed by the teachers. History and profile of the school, a school video, and a selection of stories about the school, its teachers, and students are put forth. Its programs are highlighted, and information about volunteer opportunities, curriculum, and registration are included.
http://www.stpatrickparnellschool.org/
