Navigating school transportation can be a key factor for families, especially when considering specialized programs like theme schools. In Grand Rapids, the Theme School Transportation Hub system, potentially facilitated by services like Deans Transportation, aims to simplify this process. These hubs act as central pick-up and drop-off points, often located at neighborhood schools, making theme school access more convenient for students across different regions.
Essentially, Theme School Transportation Hubs connect students attending specialized theme schools with transportation from their local neighborhood areas. Instead of direct door-to-door service for every theme school student, designated neighborhood schools serve as hubs. Students can get picked up near their homes and transported to their theme school from these centralized locations. This system is designed to efficiently manage transportation logistics across the Grand Rapids Public Schools district.
Transportation regions are defined for each theme school, meaning the available hubs and pick-up/drop-off locations will depend on the specific theme school your child attends. Typically, pick-up locations are at an attendance area school within the specified region, and drop-off will be at a neighborhood bus stop, also within that region. For students living within the theme school’s attendance area and residing more than a mile away (for K-5/K-8 grades), local pick-up spots are provided.
Below is a breakdown of Theme School Transportation Hubs for various Grand Rapids theme schools, categorized by grade level:
Elementary Theme School Transportation Hubs (K-5 Grade)
CA Frost Environmental Science Academy (K-5 Grade)
- Campus Elementary
- Congress Elementary
- Martin Luther King Jr. Academy
- Kent Hills Elementary
- Dickinson Academy
- Harrison Park Academy
- Shawmut Hills Academy
- Sibley Elementary
Coit Creative Arts Academy (K-5 Grade)
- Campus Elementary
- Congress Elementary
- Kent Hills Elementary
- Harrison Park Academy
- Martin Luther King Jr. Academy
- GR Montessori Academy (at neighborhood stops only within boundaries)
Gerald R. Ford Academic Center (K-8 Grade)
- Brookside Elementary
- Campus Elementary
- Cesar E. Chavez Elementary
- Congress Elementary
- Martin Luther King Jr. Academy
- Mulick Park Elementary
- Sherwood Park Global Studies Academy (at neighborhood stops only within boundaries)
Grand Rapids Montessori Academy (K-6 Grade)
- Buchanan Elementary
- Campus Elementary
- Congress Elementary
- Dickinson Academy
- Martin Luther King Jr. Academy
- Mulick Park Elementary
North Park Montessori (K-8 Grade)
- Aberdeen Academy
- Congress Elementary
- Harrison Park Academy
- Kent Hills Elementary
- Palmer Elementary
- Coit Creative Arts Academy (at neighborhood stops only within boundaries)
Ridgemoor Park Montessori (K-6 Grade)
- Brookside Elementary
- Buchanan Elementary
- Burton Elementary
- Cesar E. Chavez Elementary
- Ken-O-Sha Elementary
- Martin Luther King Jr. Academy
- Mulick Park Elementary
Sherwood Park Global Studies Academy (K-6 Grade)
- Buchanan Elementary
- Burton Elementary
- Brookside Elementary
- Campus Elementary
- Cesar E. Chavez Elementary
- Dickinson Academy
- Ken-O-Sha Elementary
- Mulick Park Elementary
Southwest Elementary School – Academia Bilingüe (K-6 Grade)
- Buchanan Elementary
- Burton Elementary
- Congress Elementary
- Campus Elementary
- Cesar E. Chavez Elementary
- Dickinson Academy
- Mulick Park Elementary
- Kent Hills Elementary
- Martin Luther King Jr. Academy
- Sibley Elementary
- GR Montessori Academy (at neighborhood stops only within boundaries)
- Coit Creative Arts Academy (at neighborhood stops only within boundaries)
Middle School Theme School Transportation Hubs
Blandford School | Zoo School | Grand Rapids Public Museum Middle School
For these specialized middle schools, student pick-up occurs at comprehensive neighborhood middle schools:
- Alger Middle
- Burton Middle
- Riverside Middle
- Westwood Middle
Morning (A.M.) Transportation: Students living more than 1.5 miles from their assigned neighborhood middle school will ride with neighborhood students and then transfer to transportation for their theme school.
Afternoon (P.M.) Transportation: Students will be shuttled to Westwood Middle and then transported to a neighborhood bus stop within a 0.5-mile radius of their home.
City Middle School Scholars | Center for Economicology
Similar to the above, pick-up is at neighborhood middle schools:
- Alger Middle
- Burton Middle
- Riverside Middle
- Westwood Middle
Morning (A.M.) Transportation: Students living more than 1.5 miles from their neighborhood middle school will ride with neighborhood students and transfer to a City Middle shuttle bus.
Afternoon (P.M.) Transportation: Students will be shuttled to a designated elementary school and then transported to a neighborhood stop if they reside more than 1.0 mile from that elementary school.
CA Frost Environmental Science Academy Middle School Scholars (6-8 Grade)
Morning (A.M.) Transportation: Students travel to a neighborhood middle school and transfer to a shuttle bus for CA Frost if they live more than 1.5 miles from CA Frost.
- Alger Middle: Assigned for students whose neighborhood elementary school is Campus Elementary, Congress Elementary, Martin Luther King Jr. Academy, or Dickinson Academy.
- Riverside Middle: Assigned for students whose neighborhood elementary school is Kent Hills Elementary or Martin Luther King Jr. Academy.
- Westwood Middle: Assigned for students whose neighborhood elementary school is Harrison Park Academy, Shawmut Hills Academy, or Sibley Elementary.
Afternoon (P.M.) Transportation: Students are shuttled to Westwood Middle and then transported back to their neighborhoods, utilizing stops within theme school boundaries.
Grand Rapids Montessori Middle School Scholars (7-8 Grade)
Morning (A.M.) Transportation: Students are picked up at corner stops within the boundaries of the following elementary schools:
- Buchanan Elementary
- Campus Elementary
- Congress Elementary
- Dickinson Academy
- Martin Luther King Jr. Academy
- Mulick Park Elementary
Afternoon (P.M.) Transportation: Students are shuttled to City Middle and then use buses to neighborhood feeder schools or neighborhood stops if they live more than 1.0 mile from the elementary buildings.
High School Transportation
Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy
Transportation is NOT provided for middle school scholars attending Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy.
Understanding the Theme School Transportation Hub system is crucial for families in Grand Rapids utilizing these specialized educational options. For detailed information about specific routes, bus stop locations, and timings, it’s recommended to directly contact the Grand Rapids Public Schools Transportation Department or Deans Transportation services if they are the primary provider, ensuring a smooth and efficient commute for students.
