Inside Liggett

Ask parent and student ambassadors for directions, a map, help planning your visit, or a perspective on life at Liggett. Or, just look for someone in a red "Ask Me" shirt.

For families of all ages and grades.

Meet Paul Rossi, Head of School, and Adam Hellebuyck, Chief Academic Officer. Bring your questions about the Liggett Approach, inquiry-based learning, the school’s vision, and the family experience from Early Childhood through 12th grade.

Meet the student support team to discuss extra help, extra challenge, study skills, organization, assistive technology, accommodations, and self-advocacy. Ask how teachers, advisors, specialists, and families work together around your child’s learning profile.

Our small-by-design classes mean teachers know each student well. Have a question about your child? We’d love to talk.

Did you know that daily lunch is included in tuition? Sample snack-sized bites from FLIK and meet the dining team. Ask about lunches, fresh preparation, and allergies. 

Ingredient and allergen information will be posted at each item.

What ULS students enjoy every day:

Salad Bar: Simple and seasonal gourmet greens, house-made dressings and croutons, and fresh-cut toppings, grains and legumes

Deli Bar: Deli meats, sliced cheeses, house-made spreads including hummus, pickles and classic condiments

Fresh Deli Salads: A rotating selection of chicken, egg and tuna salads

Made-from-Scratch Entrées: Freshly prepared hot meals, made on-site every day

Good food fuels great learning, and at Liggett, it’s part of every day.

Join Dr. Nicole Madu, the Black Student Union and our Changemakers to add your mark to a community banner inspired by words Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. shared with students: “Be the best of whatever you are.” The line comes from a poem by Douglas Malloch. Color, write or draw how your family lives out these words. The finished banner will welcome our community to Liggett’s MLK Celebration in January.

At Liggett, being our best is about more than achievement. Our core values of Integrity, Respect, Community, Empathy and Excellence guide how students learn, lead and care for one another. Through the Liggett Approach, students connect with the wider community and turn their values into action, building a culture where every student is known, valued and empowered to make a difference.

All ages welcome. Every voice matters. Add yours!

Find Your Next Great Read and Support Liggett! Meet Lower School Librarian Becky Gast ’95 and Parent Association volunteers. Browse picture books, chapter books, graphic novels, and young adult fiction while supporting Liggett.

Families with children from birth to age 5 can also sign up for TALK, a free text-message program from the Midwest Collaborative for Library Services. Receive development-matched tips for early literacy, STEM, and social-emotional growth.

Every reader has a story. Come find yours!

Join Upper School students for an interactive lesson on absentee and early voting, developed with the League of Women Voters. Designed for 3rd graders and open to all ages, the activities connect classroom learning with civic participation.

Every voice counts. Come learn how to use yours!

Watch student artists, try hands-on activities, and talk with teachers about the creative process. All ages are welcome.

• Lower School, A104: Printmaking with Creative Arts Department Chair Jennie Osman.
• Middle School, A106: Collaborative “Exquisite Corpse” drawing with Chris Johnson.
• Upper School, A105: Pottery wheel and art demonstrations with Kaycee Reed and Upper School artists.

At Liggett, students develop their own creative voice. They explore materials, take risks, learn from the process and build skills that carry from the art room into everything they do.

Come curious. Connect with an artist. See what creativity can become.

Try hands-on kits and tools with Mr. Mickley, 2nd grade teacher, and Mr. Lee, 4th grade teacher. Explore materials such as bug habitats, magnets, bridge builders, coding tools, robots, Bloxels, and GoPros. Learn how Early Childhood through Upper School families can borrow STEM kits to investigate and build together at home.

At Liggett, we believe curiosity is the starting point for real learning. When students follow their own questions, they make meaningful connections and discover what they’re capable of.

Pick something up. Try it out. See where your curiosity takes you!

Join Chris Hemler, Director of Place-Based Teaching and Learning, and our talented students. Explore student research presented through exhibits, a documentary, and a website.

Featured work includes Gross Points of Grosse Pointe, Evolution of Substance Abuse and Addiction in Native American Communities, Boom, Pow, Revolution, and Chernobyl and Nuclear Safety Reform. Recommended for Lower, Middle, and Upper School families.

History happens here. Come see what our students discovered.

Join our coaches and student-athletes for a tour of our state-of-the-art athletic campus, including the ice rink, turf fields, and more.

Step inside our Reggio Emilia–inspired classrooms, meet Early Childhood teachers, and explore children’s projects and materials. Ask about a day in the life of a Liggett prekindergartner and how classroom spaces support curiosity and discovery.

Our classrooms tell the story of how children learn. Come see it for yourself!

Join EC4 teacher Carla Whitton for her “Come to the Circle” song and a reading of Stick and Stone. Children ages 3–5 and their grown-ups can use natural and found materials to imagine and build a new ending to the friendship story.

In our Reggio Emilia–inspired program, children are capable and curious. Open-ended materials invite them to imagine, solve problems, tell stories and express ideas in many different ways. Our classrooms are designed as a “third teacher,” so the environment itself is part of the learning.

Every child has a story to tell. Come build one with us!

Sing, move, play percussion and barred instruments, and try a violin, viola, cello, or bass with help. Early Childhood and Lower School families can discover how Liggett’s Orff-based music learning grows through 5th grade and into later ensembles.

Students learn music by doing: singing, moving, playing instruments, and improvising and creating their own music. In 3rd through 5th grade, every student plays in orchestra, which builds a foundation that continues into Middle and Upper School ensembles.

Every Liggett journey starts with a conversation. Come say hello!

Sing, move, play percussion and barred instruments, and try a violin, viola, cello, or bass with help. Early Childhood and Lower School families can discover how Liggett’s Orff-based music learning grows through 5th grade and into later ensembles.

Students learn music by doing: singing, moving, playing instruments, and improvising and creating their own music. In 3rd through 5th grade, every student plays in orchestra, which builds a foundation that continues into Middle and Upper School ensembles.

Stop by, introduce yourself and meet Meghan Stott, Head of Lower School. Meghan would love to get to know your family and answer your questions about the Lower School experience, from a child’s first days in Early Childhood through 5th grade.

Every Liggett journey starts with a conversation. Come say hello!

Join Lower School science teacher, Ms. Gottschalk, for hands-on building challenges with blocks and STEM materials. Children can test and revise their designs while grown-ups explore the classroom and ask about inquiry-based science learning.

In Lower School science at Liggett, students learn by doing. They ask questions, explore materials, test ideas and learn from what doesn’t work the first time, building the habits of real scientists and engineers.

Every great invention starts with “What if I try this?” Come build with us!

Meet kindergarten teachers Ms. Brenner-Stump and Ms. Beaudry. Explore learning spaces and student work, and ask about reading, writing, math, and social-emotional growth. Discover how kindergarten builds on Early Childhood and prepares your child for Lower School.

At Liggett, kindergarten is a year of discovery and growth. Students learn to ask questions, solve problems, express their ideas and be good community members, all in a warm classroom where every child is known.

Join Ms. Wells and Ms. McCauley to explore a question raised by Liggett’s 1st graders: What does an animal need to feel at home? Design and build a class-pet habitat, share your creation, and see how student questions become hands-on projects.

Join 3rd grade teachers Mrs. Carron and Ms. Romolino to sample Better Made pretzel rods or butter-twisted pretzels. Learn about the Detroit snack company and how Michigan history comes alive through stories, maps, projects, and experiences.

In 3rd grade, students learn about Michigan by experiencing it, through stories, maps, projects and a few tasty surprises.

You can’t get more local than this. Come take a bite out of Michigan!

Pretzels contain wheat. Check packaging at the station for allergen information.

Try Buildzi with Ms. Chouinard in L112 to recreate 3D structures, or Double Shutter with Ms. Barthel in L113 to find number combinations. Grown-ups can ask about the 5th grade experience. At Liggett, learning is hands-on and connected. Students build fluency and flexible thinking through play, then apply those skills to deep, meaningful projects. Come play with us!

Meet Michael Hervey and discuss the experience for students in grades 6–8. Bring your family’s questions about learning, friendships, support, and the discoveries that shape the Middle School years.

Every Liggett journey starts with a conversation. Come say hello!

Join Han Zhang for a hands-on introduction to Chinese. Explore why your student might learn the language, try writing a character, and ask about language and culture learning from grades 6–12. Designed for upper elementary and Middle School families.

Liggett offers one of the most comprehensive Chinese language and culture programs in the region, from 6th through 12th grade. Grounded in authenticity and designed for long-term mastery, our curriculum empowers students to build genuine fluency and bold confidence. We cultivate self-motivated learners who are equipped to excel in top universities, global careers, and beyond.

Every language starts with a single character. Come write your first one.

Every book is full of hidden poems just waiting to be found. Join Stevie Stevens to arrange words cut from book titles into an original poem to take home. Experiment with language, rhythm, and meaning, and ask about reading, writing, and finding your voice in Middle School English. Poets of all ages are welcome.

In Middle School English at Liggett, students are encouraged to take creative risks, share their ideas and develop a voice that is all their own. This is a small taste of that creative freedom.

What happens when you give Middle Schoolers a problem, materials, and the freedom to invent? Step into the Middle School makerspace with Mr. Rhode and find out. Play a mini golf course designed, prototyped, and built by Middle School Innovation & Design students. Tour the makerspace, test a student invention, or stop by the Chomp Shop to design and craft a mini project. Golfers of all ages are welcome.

Every great design starts with "What if?" Come visit the makerspace and take a swing.

Scientists can’t open up the Earth’s core, see inside an atom or travel to a distant star. So how do they know what’s there? Join Ms. Champagne to identify an object inside a sealed box using evidence. Shake, tilt, and listen, then compare new clues with your first ideas. 

This is how Liggett Middle Schoolers learn science. They think like scientists, work through problems with evidence and practice revising their ideas when new information comes in.

Every great discovery starts with a mystery. Come solve one.

Students in 4th grade and up and their families can join Mr. Walker to learn drumstick rudiments, invent rhythms, and perform together on buckets. No drums? No problem! Explore a Middle School elective and ask about band and instrumental music.

No experience needed, just rhythm! Stop in and make some music.

Stop by the demonstration field to see Liggett’s Middle School robotics team in action. Watch student-built robots take on challenges, and talk with the team about how they design, build and program each one.

Every great machine starts with a great idea. Come see what our students built!

Get a head start on Liggett’s spring musical, Hairspray! Join theater director Eleonore Ellero, music director Jessica Fielder, and our student performers for an afternoon of singing, dancing and acting. Come for one part or stay for the whole workshop. No experience is needed, only enthusiasm!

Workshop schedule

• 1:00 Welcome, introductions and icebreakers
• 1:15 Dance: Learn choreography from “You Can’t Stop the Beat.”
• 1:45 Sing: Learn the vocals for “You Can’t Stop the Beat.”
• 2:15 Act: Audition tips for ensemble and cast roles, plus scene readings if time allows
• 2:45 Put it all together: Combine dance and vocals and perform in groups.
• 3:00 Special guest: A live Zoom conversation with Broadway performer and Liggett alum Leonard E. Sullivan ‘97

Watch from the audience or jump in and give it a try. Every great performance starts with taking the stage. Your turn starts here!

Join Elizabeth Jamett, Director of College Guidance, to discuss course planning, college lists, essays, applications, testing, and decisions. Learn about graduate destinations and how Liggett’s curriculum and Academic Research Program support college readiness.

Every Liggett journey leads somewhere extraordinary. 

The Academic Research Program (ARP) is the signature experience of Liggett’s Upper School. It’s a four-year sequence that prepares every student to design and carry out a yearlong research project on a topic of their choice.

Take a self-guided walk around the John L. Booth Library atrium with Mr. Matthew Van Meter, Chair of the Academic Research Program, and Ms. Natalie Boulanger, Instructional Librarian.

The Four-Year Journey: How ARP builds from 9th grade to senior year
Research in Progress: Meet current students and hear about their work
Past Projects: Explore senior projects and watch alumni presentations

Every great discovery starts with a question. Come see where our students’ questions lead.

Step into the creative heart of Liggett’s student publications. Join Upper School English teachers and publications advisors, Ms. Krymski and Ms. Wagenschutz. Turn on the music, have a cup of tea, and stay a while.

• Design Studio, Mac Lab: Watch yearbook layout and storytelling in progress and try some basic photography techniques.
• Writers’ Room, A108: Meet the students behind Lambrequin, explore the literary magazine, and try a writing prompt in a mini journal.

At Liggett, students don’t just study writing and design. They publish. Our student publications give students real ownership, real deadlines and real audiences, the same skills they’ll use as creators and communicators long after graduation.

Every story deserves to be told. Come write yours.

See Spanish, French and Chinese classes in action through short videos, and meet our language teachers:

Kristen Karolak, Chair of the Modern Languages Department and French teacher
Yun Bai, Chinese teacher
Dr. Eric Griffin, Spanish teacher

At Liggett, students learn languages by using them. They explore culture, ask questions, work both together and on their own, and graduate ready to engage with the world.

Hola. Bonjour. 你好. Come say hello!

Join Rebecca Frank, Director for Teaching and Learning in STEM, and STEM Fellows, Liliana Haladjian, Maisy Huebner, Troy Mashburn, and Liam Mashburn to hear about their summer research in Wayne State University labs. Learn about their questions, techniques, challenges, and developing interests in science. A Q&A follows.

At Liggett, rigor isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing real work. Our students learn by asking real questions, working alongside experts and applying what they know in meaningful, practical ways. Students graduate ready for college-level inquiry and for a world that values curiosity, analytical thinking and adaptability.

Bring your questions! A Q&A will follow the student presentations.

What does it mean to be a student-athlete at Liggett?
At Liggett, you don’t have to choose just one sport, or wait your turn to play. Join our coaches and student-athletes for a conversation about the opportunities that come with being a student-athlete at a small school with a big tradition of athletic excellence.

Meet the panel:

• Vince Phillips, Football
• Millie Gervais '00, Field Hockey
• Jay Ricci '94, Baseball
• Matt Thomas '14, Hockey
• Jillian Twardowski '08, Volleyball

Moderated by student-athletes JT Ricci '27 and Dominic Djurasaj '27.

Bring your questions! This is an open conversation, not a lecture.

How many grains of rice are in a sealed jar, if you’re not allowed to open it?

Join Upper School chemistry teacher Jaime Fugitt to estimate the grains of rice in a sealed jar using a scale, an empty jar, a weigh boat, and a sample. Work as a team to test your reasoning through a challenge from 10th grade Chemistry.

In many chemistry classes, students memorize a definition of the mole and Avogadro’s number and move on. At Liggett, students figure out the idea for themselves first. They wrestle with a real problem, test their thinking and discover why the concept works before it ever has a name.

Bring your curiosity. We’ll bring the scales.

There’s so much more to Liggett than the classroom! Meet the students who lead our clubs and co-curricular programs, and discover how they find their passions, build friendships and make a difference in our community.

Talk with our students about:

• • Getting involved: How to join a club, or start your own.
  • Leadership: How students lead, organize and serve.
  • Community: How clubs connect students across grades and with the wider community.
  • Balance: How students fit clubs in with academics, the arts and athletics.

Every Liggett student finds a place to belong. Come find yours!

Join Mrs. Nichols and Math Department Chair, Mr. Laskowski to find the one different object using a balance scale in as few weighings as possible. Test your logic alone or with a team. Middle School problem solvers are welcome.

At its core, the Upper School math program takes an integrated approach. Students learn to reason, communicate and make connections between theory and real-world application.

There’s more than one way to tip the scales. Come find yours!

Upper School is where students take ownership of their learning and shape their own path. Stop by, introduce yourself and meet Shernaz Minwalla, Head of Upper School.

Come share your family’s questions and learn how the Liggett Upper School experience prepares students to thrive in college and beyond.

Every Liggett journey starts with a conversation. Come say hello!

Stop by the Upper School robotics booth to see one of our competition robots up close and meet the students behind it.

Liggett’s robotics team competes in FIRST Robotics, and in 2022 the team won the FIRST Robotics World Championship. Our students do far more than build robots. They run every part of the program like a real engineering team.

From first prototype to world championship, it starts here.