Bach Elementary School

What a great school! We moved our child to Bach from a local private school and we couldn't be happier with the Bach teachers & administrators (and students and parents). There is a great community spirit at Bach, and the classroom teacher has worked hard to generate an atmosphere of kindness, respect and inclusiveness (the school does this well too). Our daughter has had the opportunity to develop new leadership skills (as a playground monitor and rotating through the school performing various jobs on the "service squad," and she (someone who has excelled academically) has been challenged in her school work. There have been wonderful educational class trips too! (to correct an earlier post, Bach does now participate in the Science Olympiad)
—Submitted by a parent

We've been at Bach for 6 years and couldn't be happier. My wife, children and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this place. The faculty is first rate, the facility is very good, and the community outstanding. Parents are extremely committed. We'll be heartbroken when our kids graduate.
—Submitted by a parent

School has everything you want/need. We've had kids in this school going on ten years now. BACH (pronounced 'baaaa', not like composer Bach) is one of the oldest elementry schools in A2. Very cool school if you're interested in character over the bells-and-whistles'. Teachers for the most part are top-notch. And school is VERY safe. My comments here mostly are in response to the negative comments that were made. As a community, Ann Arbor is VERY liberal. And the Bach community is the liberalist of the liberals. (I'm not, but 'live-and-let live is my motto). The neg. comments noted most likely are from a very small minority of self-consumed parents who insist on letting their kids make ALL their own choices (be it right or wrong). Example... wearing a batman costume to school all the time becasue 'their childern are expressing themselves'. BACH is a wonderful, safe and excellent school!
—Submitted by a parent

We love this school. The teachers are first rate, the curriculum is tough and challenging and the parents are eager to be involved.
—Submitted by a parent

I have two children who have gone through Bach School. Our experience has been wonderful. The teachers, with very few exceptions. are responsive to the many different needs/styles of the students. The teachers work with the curriculum to make it engaging. My kids have always marched to a different drummer but they have been universally accepted for who they are by both the staff and the other students. It's a very warm and supportive community.
—Submitted by a parent

My son went to K, first and second grades at Bach. Although I really felt at home with the community of other parents, some of the teachers were really poor. They ranged from just uninspiring to cold and affect-less. Unfortunately, the principal was defensive about the teachers and was not receptive to constructive criticism. As a result, my son changed schools. It was a big disappointment.
—Submitted by a parent

This school has been a big disappointment. Diversity in ethnicity doesn't translate into appreciating diversity for students of differing levels of academic achievement. Because it's an ESL school, much of the focus is on meeting No Child and raising MEAP scores. Children who already excel are expected to sit and be quiet while time is spent to help others catch up. The school does not participate in many outside activities with other AAPS schools (e.g., Science Olympiad). There are many better elementary schools in Ann Arbor.
—Submitted by a parent

My child has attended Bach Elementary for 5 years. We have had an outstanding experience with the school, it's staff, and administration. The Bach community is very welcoming and parent/child friendly. Bach is an ESL magnet school, so another great feature of the school is its diversity which has enhanced my child's eduation. Overall a very good school with excellent teachers and supportive principal.
—Submitted by a parent

My child attended Bach School for two years. We found it to be a place without much respect for children and parents. Our dealings with the principal were disturbing, at best. It never occured to me that adults could be bullies, but at Bach many are, and that mindset comes through in its students' interactions. Many of the staff are great -- gym, music, library, office reading -- but overall it is a cruel place where any child outside the norm in any way is unwelcome.
—Submitted by a parent