The Genesis School was founded with a mission to guide scholars in becoming the best version of themselves. To do that, we focus our entire program on raising young people who are challenged academically, supported completely, and known as whole children. A Genesis scholar is prepared for a college-prep high school and grounded in the kind of character that carries them through a life of strong decisions and thoughtful action.

This is our promise about the experience your child will have every day. Here’s what it looks like.

It means we hold a high bar. And we help you over it.

We believe every child can achieve at a high level and this belief shapes our classrooms every single day. Our curriculum is built on the best practices of the nation’s top-performing schools, and it’s designed with one goal in mind: preparing every scholar for a college-prep high school and everything that follows.

But high expectations without high support is just pressure. So at Genesis, the two always travel together: 

• Free tutoring for every scholar. 
• A listening-and-readiness approach that meets each child where they are, whatever their starting point. 
• Teachers who genuinely believe your child is capable of great things, and who put in the work to prove it.

To be a Genesis scholar is to be believed in, and to be given the tools to rise.

It means growing your character alongside your mind.

At Genesis, character is coursework, not just a poster on the wall. Scholars study civics and ethics as part of their week, and our three tenets, Resilience, Respect, and Responsibility, show up in how we celebrate, how we redirect, and how we treat one another.

This is what Character Education looks like when it’s woven into the fabric of a school: young people learning how to solve for x and also how to be a good friend, how to lead, and how to make decisions they’re proud of. Our motto says it plainly — Ethical Minds. Leading Hearts. Respectful Souls.

It means being seen as a whole child.

A child who feels unseen or unsupported can’t focus on fractions and no amount of rigor can fix that. So we built Genesis around the whole child.

That means on-site counseling and mentoring through our community nonprofit partners. It means art, music, and dance filling the school day. It means a safe, structured environment where every scholar knows what to expect and can settle in and thrive. Our founder, Marshall Emerson III, describes our systems and routines as the zipper on a garment — you barely notice it’s there, but it’s what holds everything together and makes the joy, color, and creativity possible. 

To be a Genesis scholar is to be known, valued, and supported in every part of your life.

It means belonging to something bigger.

Every year from third through eighth grade, scholars take on a capstone project rooted in a simple, powerful question: How can I make my community better? They partner with local nonprofits, volunteer, and present real work that leaves a real mark.

Add weekly community celebrations, frequent field trips, and family engagement events like our Math Dads nights, and you get a school that feels like a community. A Genesis scholar knows what it means to lead, to serve, and to belong.

It means being part of a proven story from day one.

The Genesis School is new, but our approach isn’t. Genesis was founded by Marshall Emerson III, a Cleveland educator who has spent over 15 years launching high-performing schools across Northeast Ohio. When you enroll your child at Genesis, you’re joining a proven foundation, led by a team that’s been trusted in this community for years.

A place for your whole family.

We know Cleveland families are looking for a school that keeps everyone together. Genesis enrolls scholars from kindergarten through 8th grade, with PreK available too, so your family can grow up under one roof. (PreK funding works a little differently, and tuition assistance options vary, so please reach out and we’ll walk you through what’s available for your family.)

For K–8 scholars, Genesis is a private school experience at a public school price. Thanks to the Cleveland Scholarship and EdChoice, most families pay nothing. Transportation options are available for Cleveland families, and enrollment is open to every scholar — no selective admissions and no barriers.

Begin here

Every Genesis scholar starts the same way: by walking through our doors and beginning something new. We’re now enrolling scholars in PreK–8 for Fall 2026. Located on W. 54th Street and serving families across Greater Cleveland and the surrounding area, we’d love to truly show you what it means to be a Genesis scholar.

Enroll today at gogenesisschool.org/enroll

The Genesis School is a high-performing, Ohio-approved private school enrolling scholars in grades PreK–8 in Cleveland, Ohio. Founded by Marshall Emerson III, a Cleveland educator with a proven track record of launching successful schools across NE Ohio, Genesis offers families a private school experience — rigorous academics, joyful culture, whole-child support, and moral foundation — at a public school price. Every scholar at Genesis is welcomed, valued, and prepared for college-prep high school and beyond. Enroll for Fall 2026 and learn more at gogenesisschool.org and on Facebook and Instagram.