Golightly Career and Technical Center

As a mother of a 4 year old son who currently attends Go Lightly Early Educational Center in the Pre-K program, I was skeptical of DPS Schools as a option for my only child. This particular Pre-K teacher was recommended to me by a family member who's son attended in previous years. I am so impressed with the way she conducts her classroom, her organizational skills are immpeciable, attitude stellar, and interaction with the children and parents far exceed my expectation. To date, this teacher still checks in on the progress of my cousin's older son and sincerely cares about his development as well as other students. Now that my son is in her class, I do see a difference in my son's language/vocabulary, motor skills, word choices and love for school. He picks up on the teacher's passion and lovable spirit to teach. She stands outside of her room each morning to greet the parents and always interacts with us via in-person and email. She keeps the parents informed by all channels and keeps us in the know about the activities our children are participating in. Keep up the good work Room Pre-K A102 - You so ROCK!
—Submitted by a parent

Detroit Public Schools as a whole have gone through a major change. But the staff and parents of Golightly Educational Center are working to maintain the excellence that has come to be expected at Golightly. I can only speak to the elementary school as my children are in the 3rd and 5th grades. This year the school has gotten a new principal and assistant principal. They seem very dedicated and focused on making Golightly a school of excellence both in the elementary and middle school building. This is the trial year for Golightly's middle school and if I don't like what i see, my children will be attending another middle school, and that's the truth.
—Submitted by a parent

I loved this school because it was original.
—Submitted by a student

Golightly was a very good school about 5 years ago but now things have taken a turn for the worst. The teachers dont care, the behavior of some of the students is horrible. This school does not prepare the students for the rral world. I will be taking my child out of Golightly this year. I cant take it any more and you shouldnt either.
—Submitted by a parent

I am a parent that has participated with the Golightly Family since my child has started 1st Grade at Golightly. She is now a 7th Grade student at the school. I know the Administration, the teachers, the staff and the students. We have been like a family. I am sorry that some people feel negative towards our school. Maybe if they volunteer around the school with the kids/staff they will get a better impression. The school is still a nice school. You could make it better!!! ~Monica Frazier
—Submitted by a parent

I have been attending this school since kindergarten. I will be graduating from Golightly in 2009. I plan on going to Cranbrook. Golightly has really prepared me for everything I shall encounter. I have already passed my test for Cranbrook with flying colors, and I am smart enough to know that Golightly had something to do with this. I feel insulted when I see comments that our students are out of control. Our school was and is a very controlled school. Now, I will say, however, that there has been a slight behavior-related change since we've opened our school to Sherrard and Loving, two schools that closed. If anything, these students are the reason for your opinion. If you still feel that way, feel free to take your child elsewhere. By the way, I will be crying at graduation, I wish I didn't have to leave.
—Submitted by a student

My daughter has attended GEC since 2004. Yes it has changed since last years school closings. GEC is still a very good school. High parent involvemnt. Very impressed with the hands on Dads I see every morning!! I have had one probelm with a teacher who was rude 'everyday' & felt she did not have to speak with you unless she felt like. Other than her, my child love GEC.
—Submitted by a parent

GEC has taken a turn for the worse. It was an excellent school, now it is just a neighborhood school. 5-8 has no discipline, teachers don't have control over the students, teachers bickering with the administration, NO and I mean NO parent participation.
—Submitted by a parent

My son goes to golightly and now he is a 4.0 Student. Thank you golightly
—Submitted by a parent

I went to Golightly from kindergarten to eight grades. Golightly really prepared me for high school. I found my study habits better than most, my reading, and writing skills were also above average. The many extra-cirricular activities are wonderful. Golightly has been like a family to me and the students who attended Golightly with me are still like a family. Overall Golightly is a great school and I would reccommend it to anyone looking for a great and loving school for their children.
—Submitted by a student

Golightly is a art centered school with both a k-5 building and a 5-8 building. The kindergarten teachers are all great. Music education is available as is some foreign language education for kindergarteners. Various sports are offered for all grades as well as cheerleading. Latchkey is also available for working parents. There is a high level of parent involvement.
—Submitted by a parent

Golightly is a great grade school (K-4). My younger son saw the speech therapist and it was a great experience, very professional and caring. She would go out of her way for him and our family. The teachers he had for Kindergarten and 1st grade were exceptional the best of the best. My other son, was in the middle school with no discipline, very little teacher structure and a lack of leadership. Many days were wasted by discussion on behavior and respect for yourself, peers, teachers and administration. The teacher turnover is higher in the middle school and has more impact than in the annex(grade school) building. If I could change my choice I would've enrolled my older son in Bates Academy. Golightly will not have any progress until administration takes a serious stand on discipline and hold the middle school students accountable for their actions.
—Submitted by a parent

The elementary level at Golightly (Pre K-4)is exceptional. The curriculum is multi-faceted. The problem is that the level of discipline drops in the middle school, there are too many fights between students. Repeat students who break the DPS Student Code of Conduct are not suspended early enough, so they become disruptive to the learning environment for all the other students. The curriculum is not as challenging as the elementary school. For example, in the 1-4 grades, several science projects and biographies are given as assignments throughout the year. However, by the fifth grade level, there are no special projects for homework on this level. As a parent, I thought that the tremendous practice in writing biographies, and science research in grades 1-4 would be carried over into the fifth grade, but this is not the case. I will say that the level of extracurricular activities remain very high.
—Submitted by a parent

My Daughter has been at Golightly since Pre-K and I Love it! The Teachers are very involved with the parents concerns. My daughter is in the second grade and had a problem with reading in the past, but now she is reading at and above her grade level. All school has problems but I can see some improvements at Golightly. I would recommend this school to family and friends.
—Submitted by a teacher

I love Golightly elementary, I'm not sure about the middle school though. All three of my kids attend Golightly. I am satisfied with K-5th in the annex. These teachers have a handled on what inspires kids. One teacher there especially takes time to take the kids on trips and expose them to things that they would not normally be exposed to. I think my son will be well prepared because of his experience at GEC.
—Submitted by a parent

I am an alum of this school and was there from kindergarten through the eighth grade. I am currently an engineering student at the University of Michigan. My younger sister also attended from kindergarten through the eighth grade and is now getting ready to attend her senior year of high school at Cass Tech in Detroit. My little brother is currently attending the school. GEC currently is made up of two parts: the original building (the one both my sister and I atteneded), and the new anex (which my brother has had the opportunity to be educated in). The old building is old, with no AC and radient heat. The new building is for the younger students and does have AC so your kids will not dehydrate. The school is a good school RELATIVE TO OTHER DETROIT PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
—Submitted by Lamar Williams, a former student

The school offers no language or computer classes. The children are not being prepared to compete. Extracurricular activities are unorganized. Those responsible for discipline and maintaining order and safety in the school lack judgement and are at best inappropriate with the students as well as parents seeking to be involved. My children will not attend this school next year.
—Submitted by a parent

There are no computer classes for the students at Golightly Ed. which impacts reading and english skills. This impedes the students success! The 10% pay cut the principals had to take last year, has impacted their overall attitude which affects the overall culture of the teaching staff, and the bottom line our precious children. The building is in awful shape and needs to be rennovated it's sad that DPS has spent all of their capital improvement funds on just a few of the 'select' high schools and many of the elementary school such as Golightly are falling apart. There is an overall attitude of Urban teachers which probably has to do with thier teaching environment, they work in schools that are non condusive to teaching, paint peelings, floor bucklings etc. they don't want to be there, it's a job, not a career, plainly reflected in their attitude towards students.
—Submitted by a parent

The quality of education at this school is decreasing. Their is no standard of discipline and the children are no being prepared for a global world. There are no language arts or computer/technology classes offered. I am very dissapointed.
—Submitted by a parent

Golightly Educational Center is one of the best Pk-8th grade schools in the City of Detroit. Golightly has great parental involvement. The parent orgranization sponsors many extracurricular activites for students. Their is an after school program which also provides tutoring, sports, and other quality enrichment program for their students. The teaching staff appear knowledgeable reguarding learning styles and are open to new and exciting instruction.
—Submitted by a parent