Ypsilanti Community Schools

Last updated

Ypsilanti Community Schools
Address
1885 Packard Road [1]
Ypsilanti
, Washtenaw , Michigan , 48197
United States
District information
TypePublic
GradesPreK–12 [2]
SuperintendentDr. Alena Zachery-Ross [3]
Schools12 [2]
BudgetOperating expenditures 2021-2022 $79,908,000 [2]
NCES District ID 2636630 [2]
Students and staff
Students3,747 (2023–2024) [2]
Teachers271.65 (on an FTE basis) (2023-2024) [2]
Staff626.79 (on an FTE basis) (2023-2024) [2]
Student–teacher ratio13.79 (2023-2024) [2]
Other information
Website www.ycschools.us

Ypsilanti Community Schools is a public school district in Washtenaw County, Michigan. It serves Ypsilanti and parts of Superior Township and Ypsilanti Township. [4] The district has four magnet schools that feature STEM and International Baccalaureate curriculums. [5]

Contents

History

The district was formed on July 1, 2013, by the merger of the Ypsilanti Public School District and the Willow Run School District. [6] Experts in K-12 education along with university, business, and parent partners assisted in the development of the district. [7]

The first public schools in Ypsilanti date to 1840 and 1844. A Union School was built in 1858, and destroyed by fire in 1877. A new high school was built in 1879 on the northwest corner of Cross and Washington Streets, which featured a 100-foot bell tower. [8]

During the 19th Century, Ypsilanti was unique in Michigan for having a large African American population. It was centered in the First Ward, near the corner of Adams and Buffalo Streets. [9] The First Ward School, at 407 S. Adams Street, was one of many ward schools in the city, built in 1864. The school was exclusively for Black students up to grade six, at which point they attended integrated schools. As the city's new high school was under construction in 1917, the First Ward School was considered dilapidated, was heated by an indoor stove the students called 'Smokey,' and had an outhouse for a restroom. In 1918, Black leaders in the city won a lawsuit to close the segregated school. [10] [11]

In 1917, Ypsilanti High School was built on Court Street between Washington and Adams Streets, the site of the old high school (which was torn down in 1929). [12] The Arts and Crafts Building, an addition along Adams Street, was built in 1951. [13] The building was used as the high school until 1973. It was sold by the district in 1997 and became senior housing. [14]

Ypsilanti's Harriet School had the first Black principal in Michigan, Charles "Chief" Eugene Beatty Sr., in 1940. [15]

Willow Run High School was built in 1955 and rebuilt on the same site in 1985. [16] It was expanded in 2004 to include a middle school and a new pool. [17] It became Ypsilanti Community Middle School with the merger of the school districts.

Ypsilanti Community High School opened in fall 1973. [18] The former Ypsilanti High School became a middle school when the present high school opened. [19]

Schools

Schools in Ypsilanti Community Schools district [20] [2]
SchoolAddressNotes
Ypsilanti Community High School 2095 Packard Rd., YpsilantiGrades 9-12. Built 1973. [21]
Ypsilanti Community Middle School235 Spencer Lane, YpsilantiGrades 6-8
Ypsilanti A.C.C.E. Program1076 Ecorse Rd., YpsilantiAchieving College and Career Education. Grades 9-12. Housed at George School
YPSI Connected Community School1076 Ecorse, YpsilantiGrades K-8. Online school/distance learning headquartered at George School. [22]
Ypsilanti International Elementary School503 Oak St., YpsilantiGrades K-5. Application-based International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP). [23]
Erickson Elementary1427 Levona, YpsilantiGrades 1-5
Holmes STEAM Elementary1255 Holmes Rd., YpsilantiMagnet school, Grades 2-5
Estabrook Elementary1555 W. Cross St., YpsilantiGrades 2-5
Beatty Early Learning Center1661 LeForge Rd., YpsilantiPreschool
Ford STEAM Early Learning Center2440 Clark Rd., YpsilantiGrades PreK-1
Perry Early Learning Center550 Perry St., YpsilantiGrades PreK-1

References

  1. ↑ Ypsilanti Community Schools. "Ypsilanti Community Schools" . Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Ypsilanti Community Schools". National Center for Education Statistics . Institute of Education Sciences.
  3. ↑ Ypsilanti Community Schools. "Administration" . Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  4. ↑ Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget. "Washtenaw County School Districts" (PDF). Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  5. ↑ Ypsilanti Community Schools. "YCS Magnet Schools" . Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  6. ↑ Miller, Janet. "End of an era: Willow Run School District has final day of classes" (Archived 2015-09-23 at the Wayback Machine ). The Ann Arbor News . Friday June 7, 2013. Retrieved on September 1, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Ypsilanti Community Schools to launch on Monday" . Retrieved September 14, 2016.
  8. ↑ Ypsilanti Historical Society. "Historical Highlights- 1800-1975, Ypsilanti, Michigan" (PDF). Retrieved May 10, 2025.
  9. ↑ Siegfried, Matthew. "South Adams Street @ 1900" . Retrieved May 10, 2025.
  10. ↑ "Law closes city school". Ypsilanti Recorder. May 8, 1919.
  11. ↑ Siegfried, Matthew. "First Ward School" . Retrieved May 10, 2025.
  12. ↑ Ypsilanti Historical Society. "Historical Highlights- 1800-1975, Ypsilanti, Michigan" (PDF). Retrieved May 10, 2025.
  13. ↑ Editorial staff of Ypsilanti High School yearbook. 1951 Ypsilanti Annual (Ypsilanti High School Yearbook 1951). p. 1.
  14. ↑ Haynes, Jessica. "Seniors with walkers, wheelchairs lead housing protest in Ypsilanti". MLive. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
  15. ↑ City of Ypsilanti. "Honoring Black History Month" . Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  16. ↑ Cobbs, Liz (December 3, 2006). "Plagued by problems, Willow Run regroups". Ann Arbor News. p. 1.
  17. ↑ Briggs, Jamie (August 23, 2004). "Willow Run swim club postpones fund-raiser". Ann Arbor News. p. 5.
  18. ↑ Jackson, Aretha (September 7, 1973). "Ypsilanti High exciting place". The Ann Arbor News. p. 11.
  19. ↑ "Ypsilanti High about 40 percent completed". The Ann Arbor News. February 28, 1972. p. 15.
  20. ↑ Ypsilanti Community Schools. "Our Schools and Small Learning Communities" . Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  21. ↑ Jackson, Aretha (September 7, 1973). "Ypsilanti High exciting place". The Ann Arbor News. p. 11.
  22. ↑ Ypsilanti Community Schools. "YPSI Connected Community School" . Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  23. ↑ Ypsilanti Community Schools. "Ypsilanti International Elementary School" . Retrieved May 9, 2025.
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