Stevenson Elementary School

Announcing our final retiree for the Class of 2026!

Mr. Stephon Thompson 💙🤍🎉

This man who has given not just years but decades of heart, discipline, and purpose to education, athletics, and community. Stephon Thompson or as we all know and love him, Coach.

For 41 remarkable years, Coach Thompson has poured into students across multiple learning communities: serving at Brace, Eisenhower, Southfield Lathrup High School, and Stevenson. In every hallway, on every field, and in every role he has held from Physical Education teacher to Football Coach, and even stepping into leadership, he has been a steady, guiding force.

At Southfield Lathrup, Coach built more than teams he built young men of character. He taught discipline, accountability, resilience, and pride. His impact went far beyond the scoreboard. Wins and losses fade over time, but the lessons he instilled those last a lifetime. Even his battleship play!

Here at Stevenson, we’ve had the privilege of experiencing Coach in yet another powerful way. Not only has he supported our administrative efforts, but he has also been a champion for innovation particularly in the area of STEM. Through initiatives like Soapbox Racing and hands on learning opportunities, Coach helped bring science, technology, engineering, and math to life for our scholars. He made learning active, exciting, and meaningful.

And if you know Coach, you know his work doesn’t stop with students. He has been deeply committed to bringing fathers and father figures into the educational process. He understands that when families especially dads are engaged, students thrive. Whether organizing events, mentoring, or simply having real conversations in the parking lot. Coach has worked tirelessly to strengthen that connection between home and school.

What makes Coach Thompson truly special is his consistency. For 41 years, he has shown up. He has shown up early, stayed late, and given his all day in and day out. He has been a mentor to colleagues, a role model to students, and a trusted partner to families. His presence commands respect, but his heart earns admiration.

Coach, your legacy is not just in the years you’ve served, but in the lives you’ve changed. It’s in the students who found direction because of you. It’s in the athletes who became leaders. It’s in the fathers who became more involved. It’s in every scholar who now believes they can achieve more because you showed them how.

As you step into this next chapter, we celebrate you, we thank you, and we honor you.

41 years. Countless lives. One incredible legacy.
Congratulations, Coach Thompson, you’ve more than earned this moment. We love you!

There are truly no words to describe the fun we had at Field Day! The weather was perfect, the energy was high, and our parent volunteers absolutely showed up and showed out. Because of your time, enthusiasm, and support, our scholars were able to enjoy a day filled with laughter, teamwork, and unforgettable memories.

From the exciting activities to the smiles on our scholars’ faces, every moment reflected the strong sense of community we have here at Stevenson.

Events like this remind us how powerful it is when families and staff come together for our children.

Thank you all for making this day so special, we couldn’t have done it without you!

📢 Announcing our second retiree…

Mrs. Little 🎉

We celebrate an incredible educator, a dedicated colleague, and a cherished member of the Stevenson family, Mrs. Little.

Mrs. Little began her teaching journey with Detroit Public Schools at Greenfield Union Elementary, where she taught kindergarten. From the very beginning, it was clear that she had a special gift for nurturing young learners during some of their most formative years. She later brought her talents to Southfield, where she continued to leave her mark at Adler, Vandenberg, and ultimately here at Stevenson Elementary.

Over the course of an extraordinary 32 year career, 27 of those years right here in Southfield…Mrs. Little has touched the lives of countless scholars. As a first grade teacher, she has been a foundational force, helping students take those critical first steps into literacy, writing, and a lifelong love of learning. Her classroom has always been a place where young minds are nurtured, confidence is built, and every child is seen, valued, and challenged to grow.

And while her name may be “Little,” anyone who has had the privilege of stepping into her classroom knows there is nothing small about her impact. She is mighty….mighty in her expectations, mighty in her dedication, and mighty in her ability to bring reading and writing to life for her students. Through her passion for literacy, she has opened doors for generations of children, equipping them with the skills they need not just to succeed in school, but to thrive in life.

Mrs. Little’s commitment extends far beyond academics. She has been a steady, compassionate presence for her students, a supportive colleague to her peers, and a true professional who has given her all to this calling. Her legacy lives on in every child who learned to read with confidence, write with purpose, and believe in themselves because she believed in them first.

As you step into this next chapter, Mrs. Little, know that your work has made a lasting difference. You have planted seeds that will continue to grow for years to come.

On behalf of Stevenson Elementary and the entire Southfield community, thank you for your 32 years of service, your unwavering dedication, and the love you have poured into every classroom you’ve led.

Congratulations on your retirement…..you have certainly earned it.

Enjoy this well-deserved next journey. You will be deeply missed, but never forgotten.

📢 Announcing our first 2026 retiree…🎉🎉🎉

It is truly an honor to celebrate an incredible career and a remarkable educator….

Ms. Aretha Bradley 💙🤍

Oh boy…schools…geez! 🤣 That’s something you might hear Ms. Bradley say, and honestly, it perfectly captures the journey she’s had full of stories, laughter, and a whole lot of dedication.

Ms. Bradley began her career in 1993 as a Speech Language Pathologist with Metro Nashville Public Schools. From the very start, she committed herself to helping students find their voices….literally and figuratively. And here’s a wonderful full circle moment: her practicum supervisor at Tennessee State University was Tammy Williams, now an SLP teacher at Southfield A&T… is also retiring this year. What a beautiful testament to a lifelong commitment to this field.

Her journey through education is nothing short of extraordinary. She began working in Non Public Schools…serving 11 buildings. Yes, eleven…true story! That alone speaks to her work ethic, flexibility, and unwavering dedication to students.

From there, she continued to make her mark at Kennedy, Schoenhals, Leonard, Adler, and Brace Lederle. She even split her time between Vandenberg and McIntyre, showing her ability to adapt and meet the needs of students wherever she was called.

She also served at Kennedy Learning Center, and most recently, here at Stevenson Elementary School, where we have had the privilege of experiencing her expertise, her compassion, and her calm, steady presence.
But what truly defines Ms. Bradley’s career is not just the list of schools…..it’s the lives she has impacted along the way.

As a Speech Language Pathologist, her work required patience, precision, and heart. Day after day, she helped students build confidence, develop communication skills, and achieve milestones that many of us might take for granted. She celebrated every sound, every word, every breakthrough and those moments made a lasting difference.

Ms. Bradley, your colleagues admire you, your students have benefited from you, and our school communities are better because of you.
On behalf of all of us, thank you for your 30+ years of service, your dedication, and the countless lives you have touched. Your legacy will continue in every student who found their voice because of you.

As you enter this next chapter, we hope it is filled with rest, joy, and all the things you may not have had time for during your career.

Congratulations, Ms. Bradley. You have more than earned this moment. 💙 We love and will truly miss you!

Our Detroit Zoo field trip with 597 scholars and families was simply remarkable. The weather was perfect, creating the ideal backdrop for a day filled with exploration, laughter, and learning. Our parent volunteers showed up in a big way your support, patience, and partnership helped ensure that everything ran smoothly, and we truly could not have done it without you.

As we approach the end of the school year, this trip was a beautiful way to celebrate all that we’ve accomplished together. Thank you to everyone who played a part in making this day so memorable. We’re finishing the year strong, and this was certainly a highlight we will all cherish!

Thank you to the Exotic Zoo for visiting Stevenson!

Our scholars truly enjoyed the hands on interaction with the animals. It was an engaging and memorable experience that brought learning to life in such a special way in our own backyard!

Our Soapbox Racing season has come to an exciting close, and our scholars truly shined at the final races on Saturday! We are incredibly proud of their hard work, determination, and sportsmanship throughout the season, they represented us well every step of the way.

A heartfelt thank you to all of our volunteers, our dedicated Pit Crew, United Way for Southeastern Michigan, T14 Driving School, and Mr. Thompson for your sponsorship and/or unwavering commitment to helping bring STEM to life for our scholars.

Stevenson was full of Detroit Tigers fever! ⚾️

Featuring our Chess Club, proudly sponsored by Mr. Hart!

Our scholars have been sharpening their critical thinking, strategy, and problem solving skills while learning the value of patience and sportsmanship.