Tecumseh Middle School

My Daughter has gone here and we have moved several times so I am familiar with other schools and this one is very poor in helping parents be involved. Our schedules are very demanding so we can not be as involved as we would like but anytime we have tried to get teacher cooperation through mails and working together to be sure work is done as needed it has been very lacking. They must do better if they hope to help students excel. Teachers can't just show up and hand out work and record scores they need to be involved as well. The one good thing is the orchestra program, which is great for a school in a more rural area like this. Luckily this is due to donated money or with the cutting back this would be gone.
--Submitted by a parent

We have really liked this school. We moved here from Chelsea Mi in 2008 and had nothing but a positive experience with this school.
--Submitted by a parent

The school boasts of many extracurricular options, but don't you think they should put a higher importance on academic achievement rather than encores? Teachers don't push students to succeed, if students choose to not do their work, the teachers let them make that choice. Other schools have disciplinary consequences for not completing schoolwork that encourages students to complete their work. If your child needs special education services and has an ADHD or similar label, don't send them to this school. The teachers will not work with the parents to help find a plan or solution that will help your child. I know this for a fact because I used to attend this school. Not all, but more than you'd expect of the teachers seem to dismiss the best interests of the students and their families and instead come to a decision that better fits their own comfort and satisfaction.

I couldn't agree more. My son is a student in the cognitively impaired class, And we toured the school prior to enrolling him and had met with the teachers and I was so impressed. However it has been a nightmare. He is in the 6th grade and is reading at a first grade level. I have asked them for help in home teaching and input on helping him to read better, but to no avail. I am now looking into Sylvan and other home reading programs. He is also being bullied and teased almost on a daily basis and they just try to down play every incident. He is physically ill in the morning trying to avoid going. I am at my ropes end with TMS And seeing them on The Best Schools In Mich made me sick.
--Submitted by a parent

Regarding the parent from 6-5-08, 'this school is over two grades ahead for every grade'? Really? Where did you get that information? I'd like to see that fact in print. My daughter is in 5th grade. For almost the first 4 months of school she did 4th grade Math level practice on the schools website because they didn't have the 5th grade level set up yet. How is that challenging and fair to the students? I completely agree with 1-18-09. I think they do focus heavily on music, which isn't a bad thing, but academics should be the priority. And because this is a small town there is sooo much lacking in good quality programs for the kids. Language classes should be part of the the curriculum from elementary on up! I am not impressed with these schools.
--Submitted by a parent

My son has had a wonderful experience. My daughter has a first year teacher that even after half the year, has not been able to control the classroom. I feel the school spends a bit too much time forcused on the music program, but it appears to be a 'Tecumseh-thing'. The way the school is sectioned (each grade in their own halls, basically) works out to the benefit of the students. Safety is also acceptable. I implore you to truly read the reviews on this and all of the Tecumseh schools. If you can read a review written by a student, and it is cohesive and readable, then it is a school you would want to send your child to. If you read these and even the parents cannot write fluently, it should be of great concern. Just saying...
--Submitted by a parent

My son loved this school. He had great teachers at every level. He has special needs, and was able to get help from some wonderful special education teachers. The student body accepted him completely. He was able to try many different options in his 'encore' classes. He started high school as a well-rounded student, receiving almost no special education services, because of their hard work.
--Submitted by a parent

this school is very chalenging for my daughter and she will be going to a good college because this school is over two grades ahead for every grade!
--Submitted by a parent

urgh... what a joke. the teaches are great, no disrespect there. i do love them. but we had a security gaurd on a power trip when i was in 8th grade. he just thought that he was the best thing ever. I am much happier in the highschool. but there are still alot of hateful people who enjoy complaining.
--Submitted by a student

TMS has been a great experience for my daughter. The teacher's are great and really have the student's best interest at heart. It is not the teacher's that pose a problem to this community, but the parent's who are unwilling to buckle down and teach their children how to be respectful young adults. All of my children are honor students, enjoy attending school and great teachers they respect.
--Submitted by a parent