Welcome to Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy
(6-12)
Dear GRUPA Families and Community,
As principal of Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy, it is my pleasure to welcome everyone to our page to learn more about who we are. It is our mission to help every child feel welcomed, connected, and a part of the GRUPA family.
At GRUPA we have dedicated staff who believe in creating a family centered environment that is focused on individualized learning plans. We value a strong partnership with parents/guardians, which is why we collaborate with caregivers through advisory, parent/scholar conferences, and our semester exhibitions. We feel it is truly a privilege to be a part of a community where parents/guardians, staff, scholars, and community partners care for each other and strive to build positive relationships that support academic and social growth. Please feel free to contact me at 616-819-1010 for more information. We also encourage new families to set up a tour!
School Apps
Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy
School Hours
Grades 6-7
Breakfast 7:35 a.m.
Start Time 8:00 a.m.
Dismissal 2:43 p.m.
Half Day Dismissal 10:45 a.m.
Grades 8-12
Breakfast 7:10 a.m.
Start Time 7:35 a.m.
Dismissal 2:18 p.m.
Half Day Dismissal 10:20 a.m.
School Transparency
Our goal is to prepare scholars from college and career!
At Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy (GRUPA), we believe that learning extends beyond the brick and mortar of our beautifully designed building. Therefore, the staff is committed to using innovative strategies such as place-based learning, integrated arts, and post-secondary learning experiences to ensure high scholar engagement in the learning process.
Scholars at GRUPA create an individualized learning plan with input from their advisor and caregiver(s). This plan guides their work and is based on the scholar's personal interests, skill level, maturity, and learning style. Scholars participate in interest-based projects in addition to their traditional classwork. With its smaller class sizes and incredibly caring staff, GRUPA is for scholars who value individualized learning and rigorous college and career preparation.
Points of Pride:
- TEEN CEO Program (reverse job shadow, job shadow, internship)
- Kent Career Technical Center
- Peer mentoring
- YMCA, Adventure Point, Kroc Center partnerships for 6th and 7th grade
- 8th grade camp
- leadership opportunities
- SAT preparation
- early college classes
- exhibitions
- college visits
- soft skills development (public speaking, problem solving, time management, etc.)
- art integration
- field trips
- over 90% graduation rates
- over 90% acceptance to post-secondary institutions
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.
GR University Preparatory Academy
-
Click to see a larger version
Skip to end of gallery
Skip to start of gallery
-
Click to see a larger version
Skip to end of gallery
Skip to start of gallery
-
Click to see a larger version
Skip to end of gallery
Skip to start of gallery
-
Click to see a larger version
Skip to end of gallery
Skip to start of gallery
-
Click to see a larger version
Skip to end of gallery
Skip to start of gallery
-
Click to see a larger version
Skip to end of gallery
Skip to start of gallery
-
Click to see a larger version
Skip to end of gallery
Skip to start of gallery
-
Click to see a larger version
Skip to end of gallery
Skip to start of gallery
-
Click to see a larger version
Skip to end of gallery
Skip to start of gallery
-
Click to see a larger version
Skip to end of gallery
Skip to start of gallery
-
31 Oct
-
Half Day of School for Scholars | No LOOP ProgrammingDate: Oct 31Calendar: GRPS District Calendar
-
-
4 Nov
-
No School | No LOOP Programming | Election DayDate: Nov 4Calendar: GRPS District Calendar
-
-
26 Novthru Nov 28
-
No School | No LOOP Programming | Thanksgiving BreakDate: Nov 26 - Nov 28Calendar: GRPS District Calendar
-
-
17 Decthru Dec 19
-
Half-Day for Scholars | No LOOP ProgrammingDate: Dec 17 - Dec 19Calendar: GRPS District Calendar
-
-
22 Decthru Jan 2
-
No School | No LOOP Programming | Winter BreakDate: Dec 22 - Jan 2Calendar: GRPS District Calendar
-
-
19 Jan
-
No School | No LOOP Programming | Martin Luther King, Jr. DayDate: Jan 19Calendar: GRPS District Calendar
-
-
16 Febthru Feb 17
-
No School | No LOOP Programming | Mid-Winter BreakDate: Feb 16 - Feb 17Calendar: GRPS District Calendar
-
-
5 Mar
-
2026 LatinX Youth ConferenceDate: Mar 5Location: Grand Rapids Community CollegeCalendar: GRPS District Calendar
-
|
Previous
October
2025
Next
|
||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S | ||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||||
| 5 | 6 | 7 |
8
|
9 | 10 | 11 | ||
| 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
16
|
17 | 18 | ||
| 19 |
20
|
21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | ||
| 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
31
|
|||
GRPS and GREA finalize calendar and reach four tentative agreements October 29, 2025
GRPS is pleased to announce that bargaining representatives from the district and the Grand Rapids Education Association (GREA) have finalized the 2025–26 school year calendar and reached four additional tentative agreements.
Principal Profile: ‘This would have been the perfect school for me’ October 28, 2025
Dr. Denise Flavin has loved hands-on learning since she was a child.
Community support for those affected by SNAP funding concerns October 28, 2025
The following email was shared with all GRPS families on October 27, 2025.
