Lighthouse Academy Waalkes

Charter School 80 Students

Other K - 12th

School Overview

Lighthouse Academy—Waalkes, located on Cedar Street NE in Grand Rapids, is part of the Lighthouse Academy network, which specializes in providing alternative education opportunities for students who have struggled in traditional school settings. The school is designed to serve a diverse student body, including those who are at-risk of dropping out, students transitioning from the juvenile justice system, or those who simply need a more personalized and flexible learning environment to achieve academic success.

The academy emphasizes a supportive, trauma-informed approach to education, focusing on both academic credit recovery and the social-emotional development of its students. By offering smaller class sizes and individualized instructional plans, Lighthouse Academy—Waalkes aims to remove barriers to graduation. Their mission centers on empowering students to overcome personal obstacles, earn their high school diplomas, and prepare for post-secondary opportunities, whether that be higher education, vocational training, or direct entry into the workforce.

Total Students

6.0

Full-Time Teachers

13.4

Student/Teacher Ratio

87.5%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Lighthouse Academy Waalkes
Demographic	Student Count
White	10
Hispanic	12
Black	51
Two or More	7

Black
51 (63.7 %)
Hispanic
12 (15.0 %)
White
10 (12.5 %)
Two or More
7 (8.7 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Other
School Type:	Alternative School
Charter Status:*	Charter School
Virtual Instruction:	Supplemental Virtual
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Lighthouse Academy
Phone:	(616)304-8537
Grade Range:	K - 12th
Total Students:	80
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	6.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	13.4
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes participating without using any Provision or the CEO
Qualified Free Lunch:	70
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Grade 6 2

Grade 7 3

Grade 8 6

Grade 9 42

Grade 10 21

Grade 11 5

Grade 12 1