UNIVERSITY LIGGETT SCHOOL / ACADEMICS
/ ACADEMICS
The Liggett Approach to Education
The Liggett Approach serves as the foundation upon which a University Liggett School education is built and serves as the embodiment of our mission:
Inspiring lives of purpose through education grounded in a spirit of discovery.
University Liggett School is a community committed to excellence in teaching and learning. We nurture curiosity, instill confidence, and foster personal and collective growth, thereby empowering young people to shape a brighter future for all.
Student-Centered Learning
We intentionally place students at the heart of their own educational journey.
By focusing on the needs, interests, and active participation of our students, they make meaningful connections, uncover new insights, and develop a deep appreciation for their own curiosity and capacity to learn.
Empowered Education
Student-centered learning and inquiry are pathways to discovery
Students actively engage in complex ideas and employ critical thinking skills that lead to real understanding. This deeper, more tangible learning experience builds the confidence and ability to solve real-world challenges.
Meaning Over Memorization
Students derive meaning by engaging in work that advances understanding, fosters agency, and incorporates and expands interests.
We give students the structure, skills, and space to thoughtfully drive discussions and draw their own conclusions, creating a dynamic learning environment that fosters growth at every level.
Valuing Student Voices
Our teachers craft intentional learning experiences that celebrate and develop student perspectives
Excellence Through Rigor
We challenge students at all levels to think critically, take risks, and continuously advocate for their own growth and development.
Our teachers are so much more than subject matter experts. They thoughtfully craft educational experiences that resonate deeply and build high-value skills that prepare students to thrive in an increasingly complex world.
Standards of Excellence
The most valuable academic experiences come from rigorous instruction in both appropriate skill development and deep content exploration.
Experiential learning both in and beyond the classroom challenges students to dive deep into topics, thoughtfully question, make meaningful connections across disciplines, and apply their knowledge in practical, impactful ways.
Rigor That Matters
Rigor is achieved through substantive engagement with challenging materials, questions, and ideas.
Strategies That Drive Growth
We constantly refine our approach based on decades of comprehensive data and best practices, preparing students to meet their full potential and cultivate a life of purpose.
From hallway interactions to standardized tests, assessment takes many forms and emphasizes the value of learning, self-reflection, and ongoing self-development as avenues to growth.
Growth Beyond Grades
Assessment is an essential tool intentionally designed to deliver actionable feedback that prompts tangible, continuous growth.
By recognizing individual gifts, ideas, and effort as much as end results, we empower students to take ownership of their progress, set and track goals, course correct, and confidently carve their own path to success.
Redefining Success
We value and honor achievement, growth, process, and product.
We support our faculty through ongoing personal and professional learning, encouraging them to collaborate with peers, contribute to the global conversation on best practices, and continuously seek new ways to deliver the highest quality educational experiences.
Innovating With Intention
Our ongoing efforts to advance and evolve our curriculum are informed by research and best practices.
Practical Learning for Life
We use every resource at our disposal to make learning relevant, applicable, and impactful.
Every student is well known and valued here. A foundation of mutual trust and openness means students feel safe to take risks, share new ideas, and challenge their comfort zones. They care deeply for one another, reflecting our culture of integrity, empathy, and responsibility across divisions.
A Culture of Connections
Relationships rooted in understanding, respect, and care foster a vibrant learning community.
Our students connect with our broader community both in and beyond the classroom. From hosting successful alumni mentorships and expert speakers on campus to spearheading local community projects and presenting to world-class museums, our teachers create extraordinary opportunities for students to drive change in the world.
Cultivating Community
Our community connections enhance the work students accomplish within and beyond our walls, empowering them to lead lives of purpose.
How the Liggett Approach comes to life
Reggio Inspired
Early Childhood Program
Together, our Early Childhood Program students worked to design a special habitat for their hamster, June June. Students began by drawing their ideas, and then each group was challenged to build a habitat using classroom materials and present their creations to their classmates.
After discussions, teamwork, collaboration, and site visits to Lou's Pet Shop and Pointe Lumber, a new habitat for June June was revealed.
Lower School
Project work at University Liggett School is sparked by the interests and wonder of our students and evolves as their questions take them in new directions. A project on cars in kindergarten began with simple questions about vehicles and how they were made. The project took off thanks to the inquisitiveness of our students.
Middle School
Our eighth-grade students embark on a self-directed environmental science research project during one quarter of the school year. This project is a platform where students pose a scientific question, conduct relevant research, develop and conduct an experiment to test a theory, analyze results, and present findings. Students apply the skills learned in the Middle School Science program, which lays the foundation for more comprehensive, self-directed research projects later in the students' academic lives here at ULS.
Upper School
The Wyandot in the Great Lakes is a partnership between the Grosse Pointe Historical Society, our Native American Studies elective, open to 11th and 12th graders, and the Wyandot of Anderdon Nation. Students researched and designed exhibit panels and presented their research at an opening event alongside members of the Wyandot of Anderdon.