Open House Guide 2020- Part 2

Local schools open for tours

By Erin Holden and Emily Remaklus

One of the biggest decisions a parent makes concerns their children’s education. Many local educational options stand out as unique.  We created this guide to spotlight them. Whether your child has an interest in nautical-themed studies or could benefit from a focus on the arts or technology, these schools are definitely worth looking into. Each of school is open to tours for parents, a perfect chance for you to see their day-to-day operations in action. Depending on the age of your child, you might want to look into these offerings! 

iLEAD Spring Meadows

1615 Timberwolf Dr., Holland

419-491-7423 | ileadspringmeadows.org

Open House: Check the website to schedule a tour.

iLEAD stands for international, leadership, entrepreneurial development, arts, and design thinking, the primary focuses of this public charter school. Any child in Kindergarten-8th grade in the Toledo area can attend iLEAD as there are no district boundaries. The school is a tuition-free public community school that follows common core standards and participates in state testing; however, the approach to meeting these standards is very different from many public schools. iLEAD focuses on Project Based Learning (PBL) which allows learners to apply content standards through their own discovery and research which they then can apply to various projects. This allows learners to take ownership of their education with the guidance of their highly qualified facilitators. Also unique to the school are the multi-age classes where children of different grades work together in a shared space. This allows children to get more individualized attention and helps them build social skills. Working and busy parents and guardians would also appreciate the school’s before and after school care options.

The Maritime Academy of Toledo

803 Water St., Toledo

419-244-9999 | maritimeacademy.us

Open House: Contact to schedule a tour

The Maritime Academy of Toledo helps students in grades 6-12 develop the skills they need for the next stage of their lives. The academy has a strong focus around nautical/maritime-themed studies; however, like any middle school and high school, this academy also focuses on all core content and standards for Ohio’s public schools.

Students graduating from the academy are leaders, innovative, and have strong character. Additionally, graduates can leave the academy with credentials to attend a traditional four-year college, start a career on a commercial vessel, earn a spot with the US Merchant Marine Academy in New York, go through an officer training program, or attend a state maritime academy for undergraduate and graduate programs leading to mariner careers. These are all results of the first state-approved Maritime Career Tech Education Program in the United States. 

Additional programs include a culinary and hospitality program, and apprenticeships for building trade work. This academy would be a great fit for a student who learns well with hands-on activities.

St. Ursula Academy

4025 Indian Rd., Toledo

419-531-1693 | toledosua.org

Visit our website for opportunities to learn more.

St. Ursula Academy is Toledo’s oldest all-female Catholic college prep school for girls from 6th grade to 12th grade. With more than 560 students enrolled, the school still has an impressive 11:1 student-to-teacher ratio, which means much more individualized attention for students. The ultimate mission of the school is to ensure that the young women embrace their own possibilities, explore new passions, grow in their faith, and become leaders in school and the community. The school has 20 Advanced Placement courses and 18 honors courses to challenge students and provide them with the possibility of earning college credits while in high school. Additionally, the school provides a one-of-a-kind “best fit” College Quest program, where students work throughout high school to find the best college for them. In addition to academics, the school has 13 varsity sports and a distinguished fine arts and performing arts program. 

Toledo Public Schools

1609 N. Summit St., Toledo

419-671-0001 | tps.org

Serving more than 22,000 students, Toledo Public Schools is host to two preschools, 40 elementary schools and nine high schools, making it the fourth largest school district in Ohio. Since Dr. Romulus Durant became superintendent in 2013, Toledo Public Schools has seen consistent growth in both enrollment and graduation rate, rising a full 7.5 percent in the ensuing years. TPS offers numerous Advanced Placement Courses in partnership with College Board, designed to challenge students and prepare them for the rigors of College. With over 1800 teachers and over 4000 employees as a whole, TPS is the Glass City’s fifth largest employer.

West Side Montessor

Perrysburg: 13587 Roachton Rd. | 419-874-9385

Toledo: 7115 W. Bancroft St. | 419-866-1931

Montessoritoledo.org Open House: Contact to schedule a tour.

Montessori is a child-centered education approach where the students take ownership and a lead in their education. A lot of the methods include self-directed activity, collaborative play, and hands-on learning. West Side Montessori works on nurturing the whole child by creating a school environment that focuses just as much on the heart of the child as it does on challenging the child’s intellect. Along with core academics, the school also believes in the importance of outdoor education, the arts, physical education, and technology education for the growth of each child. The school has very impressive student to teacher ratios ranging from 4:1 – 12:1 depending on the age group. Students from as young as toddlers up to 8th grade can enroll in West Side Montessori. Extracurricular activities are also offered and include a variety of options such as karate, soccer, chorus, and gardening.

Recent Articles