Lighthouse Academy is one of five strict discipline charter academy schools in the state of Michigan. Lighthouse alone operates eight academies in four different counties. Their latest school opened this past fall in Muskegon. The academies serve students who have been suspended or expelled from public schools, all at zero cost to their family.
Heidi Cate, Superintendent of Lighthouse Academy says the way their program operates allows students who have fallen behind to catch up quickly.
“We provide a way for, with our individualized education programs, for them to accelerate through their credits. It’s very much self-paced, but it’s with face-to-face, not virtual or online. They don’t do well typically in fully online programs and so that makes us different in terms of serving this population in the Muskegon County area.”
Cate says that the academy is invested in making a difference in the Muskegon community and they are committed to giving kids who may have struggled in the past a second chance.
“We don’t give up on our kids and we’re also not giving up on the community. We are there to stay. We invest long-term and we stay long-term. That’s why we continue to grow and be successful with this niche of students. And we look forward to having many of those stories to tell also about the Muskegon community youth.”