Fostering Leadership Academy

Fostering Leadership Academy

The evidence is clear. Children who’ve endured abuse and neglect struggle through severe and life-long trauma, often hindering their education. Most of the children who come to MCHS are multiple grades behind compared to their peers and all require an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). In addition to struggling through the cognitive and emotional issues stemming from abuse, our children are at an educational disadvantage due to the transient nature of foster care, moving from school to school. 

In 2020, we transformed our Kresge Building and opened doors to the inaugural class of Fostering Leadership Academy, Michigan’s first true trauma-informed K-8 charter school. In 2021, we open the doors to a new construction school building right on our campus in Redford. Authorized by Grand Valley State University, our model of providing fully-encompassing trauma-informed curriculum is just the beginning. Not even Covid-19 could keep us from delivering the education our children deserve!

The unique needs of children in foster care require much more than a traditional school setting could offer. Our children need to be heard, seen and understood in their academic environment. Rather than punishment, they seek empathy. 

To enroll a child at Fostering Leadership Academy, contact
Principal Jessica Fessler at jfessler@fostering-leadership.org today!

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