West Michigan Aviation Academy Explained

West Michigan Aviation Academy
Motto:Where attitude meets altitude
Streetaddress:5363 44th Street Southeast
State:Michigan
Zipcode:49512
Country:United States
Principal Label:CEO
Principal:Nicole Gasper[1]
Teaching Staff:37.36 (FTE) (2022–23)
Gender:Coeducational
Enrollment:605 (2022–23)[2]
Ratio:16.19 (2022–23)
Campus Size:67,500 sq. ft.
Campus Type:Airport
Team Name:Aviators Athletics
Colors: Blue and Orange
Ceeb:231687
Year:2021–2022
M-Step Advanced:34.3 / 29.3
M-Step Proficient:25.7 / 37.1
M-Step Pr Proficient:15.0 / 26.4
M-Step Not Proficient:25.0 / 7.1
Sat Total:1129.6
Sat Total Change:48.2
Ref:[3]

West Michigan Aviation Academy (WMAA) is a charter high school in Grand Rapids, Michigan (U.S.).[4] [5] Students have the option of completing flight training and obtaining a private pilot certificate.[6] [7] US News and World Report ranks the school the 26th best in Michigan.[8]

The school is well-renounced and is ranked in the top 5% of all public high schools worldwide. Students tend to outperform the state average on standardized tests.

History

In 2010, pilot and billionaire Dick DeVos established WMAA on the suggestion of his wife, Betsy DeVos. The academy is a tuition-free public charter high school.[9] The initial enrollment of 80 students assembled for the Fall term of 2010 in a renovated office facility located on the grounds of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport.[10]

They quickly realized that more space would be needed and it wasn't long before expansion plans were on the drafting board. On the first day of the 2012–13 school year, more than 240 Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors found their high school home had expanded with a new 42,500 sq. ft. addition. This new addition enabled not only expansion in space, but also in curriculum, student life, and aviation programs. The new building gave the academy the capacity to educate 500 students.

In 2014, the school administration expected to have a population of 500 for the upcoming fall semester.[11]

Due to high demand for attendance, the school operates on a lottery system to admit students.

The school, like many others, went fully-remote during the Covid-19 pandemic.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Staff Directory . West Michigan Aviation Academy . February 7, 2023.
  2. Web site: Search for Public Schools - West Michigan Aviation Academy (260097708183) . . . February 18, 2024 . en.
  3. Web site: MI School Data Annual Education Report. MI School Data. January 10, 2023.
  4. Web site: Home. West Michigan Aviation Academy. August 17, 2019. 5363 44th Street SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49512.
  5. Web site: Street Index Map. Cascade Charter Township. August 17, 2019.
  6. Web site: Flight Training :: West Michigan Aviation Academy. September 13, 2021. www.westmichiganaviation.org.
  7. Web site: Macek . Molly . Grand Rapids charter school makes engineers and pilots . 2024-02-18 . Mackinac Center . en.
  8. Overview of West Michigan Aviation Academy . January 26, 2023. US News and World Report.
  9. Web site: West Michigan Aviation Academy - Our Schools - Charter Schools Office - Grand Valley State University . 2024-02-18 . www.gvsu.edu.
  10. Web site: West Michigan Aviation Academy . About . November 24, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161109232435/http://www.westmichiganaviation.org/about/ . November 9, 2016 . dead.
  11. Web site: Gryczan . Matthew . March 9, 2014 . Winging it: Use aviation in education? Grand Rapids charter school finds that the idea can fly . . December 5, 2015 .

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