Great School Love everything about this school. Making parents involved and the discipline enforced makes the kids responsible children,

A lot of changes need to be made We continue to be frustrated with a lot of issues. There is a lack of effective communication from teachers, there is poor disciplinary action for the kids that are really troubled, yet others that have small infractions are receiving detention or their clips are constantly moved over minute things, taking away from their learning. THERE IS NOT ENOUGH RECESS or time for the kids to be moving around!! Humans are not meant to sit quietly all day! The school is becoming like a prison, and doesn't foster an effective and happy learning environment. Mrs. Newby is very unapproachable and seems to be more concerned about administration than helping the children learn and grow. Liam dreads going to school every day, and it is heartbreaking. We are trying to be as positive as possible with him, but it's wearing thin for all of us. We are currently looking for a better option for school for Liam.

Great school My family has had a great experience at East Arbor.

Was a great school, but going downhill fast. Don't get me wrong, there are some excellent teachers at this school!! If I could rate the teachers my kids have contact with and the leadership individually, there would be some that would have 5-stars (such as the gym teacher, music teacher, library teacher), a lot of 4-stars, but there would be too many that would be 1-star (such as the new Principal, technology teacher, intervention specialist, special ed teacher). The "new" principal (was the old middle school dean) is unapproachable, rude, and will talk negatively about specific students in front of other parents (privacy violation), some teachers don't think twice about disclosing personal information about other students disabilities/medical/behavioral issues to other parents (privacy violation), the secretaries are most always grumpy and rude if they aren't busy gossiping about specific students (privacy violation) or parents that dared to ask them a question, and if you think that NHA's corporate office in Grand Rapids actually cares then you are wrong (I've talked to their parent relations, so if they truly cared then it would show). Staffing: If you have a child that is "at-risk" or low-performing on the NWEA or MAP tests, don't expect to have your child receive extra support from the Intervention Specialist... this school is too cheap to pay a substitute teacher, so they use the interventions teacher as a building sub. Only if there are several teachers out do they actually bring in a qualified sub to work. To every staff member in the building: If you don't LOVE your job, please LEAVE!! You expect every child and parent to follow your moral focus virtues, yet you don't provide a positive example. If you can't be compassionate, approachable, or understanding, then find another job. It's people that don't love what they do, don't respect the people they work with, and don't respect the parents or students that are bringing this school down and chasing good families out the door. The first 2 years that the school was open I would have given East Arbor a 5-star rating and wouldn't have a single negative thing to say. In the years following my rating in now a 2-star. I was hoping that with a new principal things would get better, but she has actually made things worse. NHA really should've hired someone from outside East Arbor. Unfortunately we live in (and East Arbor is right next to) a poor-performing public school district and right now it is the "lesser of 2 evils". Usually I'm sad when the school year is ending but I'm already counting down the days.

Disappointed and deeply concerned My son attended East Arbor this fall and we have just registered him elsewhere. As attentive, caring and compassionate as some teachers are, neither Ms. Newby or Ms. Wilson seemed to lack those qualities. They seemed uninterested and slow in looking for other resources to help him emotionally. (I didn't realize until 2 weeks ago, when I scheduled a meeting, that there were other resources.) It is very disappointing and upsetting. The new school has been very warm, friendly and welcoming to him. They are aware of his situation and already have a plan in place when he starts on the 4th. Something, we did not experience at East Arbor.