8501 Colgate St
Oak Park, MI 48237

The teacher mean and the kids always fighting

Ferndale high school has a diverse student body from a broad range of income levels, which is both a strength and a weakness. Black students make up a slight majority, white students are a close second, and there is a smaller mix of other races and ethnicities. The school district includes Royal Oak Township (very low income/majority Black), a portion of Oak Park (working class and middle class/majority Black), a large portion of Ferndale (middle class and professional class/majority white), and Pleasant Ridge (professional class and wealthy/majority white). Accordingly, students who are in the district for long periods of time get used to being around kids who don't look like them, have different economic backgrounds, and have different family structures and beliefs. This tends to breed increased tolerance and comfort in diverse groups, and the Ferndale graduates I have interacted with have a level of poise and self-assurance that is uncommon - this ability to integrate into and be comfortable in diverse environments is hard to teach and, in my opinion, a key strength for these graduates in today's world. On the other hand, the large number of lower income students brings down average test scores, as it does in any district. Lower income and single-parent households generally have fewer resources and less time to support children's education, and there are probably more fights and disciplinary incidents than in higher-income districts. (To clarify, I attended a majority white but similarly working-class school, and there were many more fights there than at Ferndale, so I view this as an income issue rather than a racial issue). This can detract from the teachers' ability to keep students focused, and Ferndale doesn't have the resources to pay teachers high salaries. The teachers we have are dedicated and hard workers, and there is a genuine family feel at the school, with many dedicated parent volunteers. The arts programs are very good and the school offers numerous AP classes. It is true that the higher-level classes tend to be more middle/upper class and white, but I have never seen any evidence of discrimination at the school; if anything, substantial resources and time are focused on trying to achieve equity for students. Ultimately, this begins at home, with expectations and accountability from parents. The school can only do so much.Overall, my kids love the district and the school. It's not perfect, but it is a good school.

JFK is a dream come true. A school filled with smart, creative, polite, kind children, caring, hard working, happy and appreciated teachers and staff, AND parents who gladly volunteer their time! Other schools should take note. This is what public education should be! Go Eagles!

The feeling of community we’ve experienced as part of Ferndale Schools has been incredible. Parental involvement is very high, and school involvement in community events only strengthens the bond. I’m thrilled with every aspect of my kids’ education at Ferndale Lower.