Welcome to Blandford School (6)
Welcome and thank you for choosing GRPS and Blandford School. It is my honor and privilege to serve as the Principal of Blandford. Our staff is dedicated to helping each child reach their fullest potential and become independent, self-driven learners. We are fortunate to have Blandford Nature Center in our backyard which invites our scholars and staff to explore learning and use nature as their classroom.
If you are interested in learning more about the rigor and zeal of Blandford School, please contact us directly at 616-819-2555. We'd be happy to show you around the school!
Principal
Karla Finn
Blandford School
School Hours
Breakfast 7:50 a.m.
Start Time 8:10 a.m.
Dismissal 3:08 p.m.
Half Day Dismissal 11:20 a.m.
School Transparency
At Blandford, nature is your classroom!
Blandford is a 6th grade program that offers outdoor learning experiences and a rigorous curriculum. The school is designed to heighten an awareness of the environment, stimulate creative thinking, develop leadership, promote intellectual growth, and increase self-esteem. Our Blandford staff is committed to fostering your child's potential to learn and achieve through a learning environment that values hands-on, project-based learning experiences. Scholars are provided with exciting challenges and opportunities for a once-in-a-lifetime educational experience that focuses on nature and the great outdoors.
The Blandford "classroom" consists of over 100 acres of ponds, streams, woods, and fields along with a more traditional classroom that supports the outdoor theme. Attracting students from public and non-public schools throughout Grand Rapids, as well as a handful of students from nearby cities, the student body at Blandford is a heterogeneous mixture of ethnic, economic, and social backgrounds.
While we have too many special projects and programs to name them all, a few highlights include:
- chicken adoption
- International Night dinner
- performance of A Christmas Carol
- fall and spring camp
- Wildflower Tea
- BEEP Bizarre
We have incorporated distance learning for years and are poised to be a leader in the district as a blended model of new technologies and old practices, giving our students the best of both worlds. Our 1-to-1 student technology device approach ensures that every student has the opportunity to learn inside and outside the classroom.
Blandford School is located in a state of the art, LEED certified facility on the Northwest side of Grand Rapids. This building, along with Blandford Nature Center’s 143 acres of ponds, streams, woods, and fields, offers students an unparalleled learning environment. Scholars will enjoy their collaborative learning experience by sharing two classrooms and a large meeting space both indoors and outside in nature.
Blandford School Photo Tour
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23 Decthru Jan 3
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No School | No LOOP Programming | Winter BreakDate: Dec 23 - Jan 3Calendar: GRPS District Calendar
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6 Jan
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School Resumes | Start of Second SemesterDate: Jan 6Calendar: GRPS District Calendar
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14 Jan
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FAFSA Workshop at Southwest Middle High 5:00 PM to 7:00 PMFAFSA Workshop at Southwest Middle HighDate: Jan 14Time: 5:00 PM to 7:00 PMLocation: Southwest Middle High School - Academia Bilingue, 327 Rumsey St SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USACalendar: GRPS District CalendarTranslation services available in Spanish.
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16 Jan
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FAFSA Workshop - Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy (UPREP scholars only) 5:30 PM to 7:30 PMFAFSA Workshop - Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy (UPREP scholars only)Date: Jan 16Time: 5:30 PM to 7:30 PMLocation: Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy, 512 Division Ave S, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USACalendar: GRPS District Calendar
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20 Jan
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No School | No LOOP Programming | Martin Luther King Jr. DayDate: Jan 20Calendar: GRPS District Calendar
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22 Jan
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FAFSA Workshop - Union High School (Union scholars only) 5:00 PM to 7:00 PMFAFSA Workshop - Union High School (Union scholars only)Date: Jan 22Time: 5:00 PM to 7:00 PMLocation: Union High School, 1800 Tremont Blvd NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504, USACalendar: GRPS District CalendarTranslation services available in Spanish, Kinyarwanda and Swahili.
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23 Jan
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FAFSA Workshop - Innovation Central High School 6:00 PM to 7:30 PMFAFSA Workshop - Innovation Central High SchoolDate: Jan 23Time: 6:00 PM to 7:30 PMLocation: Innovation Central High School - Grand Rapids Public Schools, 421 Fountain St NE, Grand Rapids, MI 4Calendar: GRPS District CalendarTranslation services available in Spanish & Kinyarwanda.
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29 Jan
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GRPS School Choice Expo 4:30 PM to 6:30 PMGRPS School Choice ExpoDate: Jan 29Time: 4:30 PM to 6:30 PMLocation: GRPS University, 1400 Fuller Ave NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505, USACalendar: GRPS District Calendar
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30 Jan
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FAFSA Workshop - Grand Rapids Public Museum High School 5:00 PM to 7:00 PMFAFSA Workshop - Grand Rapids Public Museum High SchoolDate: Jan 30Time: 5:00 PM to 7:00 PMLocation: Grand Rapids Public Schools Museum High School, 54 Jefferson Ave SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USACalendar: GRPS District CalendarTranslation services available in Spanish.
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4 Feb
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FAFSA Workshop - CA Frost Middle High School 4:00 PM to 7:00 PMFAFSA Workshop - CA Frost Middle High SchoolDate: Feb 4Time: 4:00 PM to 7:00 PMLocation: CA Frost Science Academy High School, 1417 Covell Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504, USACalendar: GRPS District Calendar
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As we begin our holiday break, I hope you’re able to take time to relax and enjoy the season with loved ones.
Four GRPS scholars were awarded prizes by the Rosa Parks Education Committee in the Rosa Parks Essay Contest.
It’s not every day students in elementary school get to work with a Grammy-nominated music engineer who plays ten instruments and loves teaching — unless they attend Grand Rapids Public School Coit Creative Arts Academy.