Detroit Celebrates Grand Opening Of New Mumford High School
DETROIT (WWJ) - Officials from the city of Detroit and Detroit Public Schools are celebrating the grand opening of the new Mumford High School with a ribbon cutting ceremony and back pack giveaway on Tuesday.
The 239,000 sq ft. facility on Wyoming near McNichols includes a high-tech media center, 800 seat auditorium, modern science laboratories and a two-story glass commons area that doubles as a cafeteria.
The new school also has an athletic wing that includes a swimming pool, dance studio, weight room, gym and courtyard, as well as a performing arts wing that includes a choir and band room, drama room and dressing room.
All that is left of the old Mumford High School is just a pile of dirt and a big hole in the ground, which will be filled in and expected to be used as a football field and parking lots.
The $52.1 million construction project began during fall of 2010. The school will welcome its inaugural class this fall.
Mumford, one of six high schools in the state's new Education Achievement Authority, will have a new principal, Dr. Donnie Davis, who likes the idea of student-centered learning -- such as mastery of algebra.
"They have to have pretty much all of it known and can show that they understand algebra before they can go on to geometry. Moving our students forward when they're not really prepared, be it moving them from the first to second grade or moving them from the fifth to the eighth grade, is not doing them any favors," said Davis.
Chief of Staff Tyrone Winfrey said EAA schools have a unique curriculum called "student focused" learning.
"Each student will be assessed when they come in whether they're in kindergarten or the twelfth grade. We basically want to make sure that after that assessment, we're able to determine exactly where that student is, as far as their educational needs, and there will be an individualized learning plan tailored to that student, with individual goals, objectives and expected outcomes," said Winfrey.
