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Wintering Well… Together

Wintering Well and Taking Risks… Together ABOUT A 2 MINUTE READ –  It’s no secret that the winter months in Northern Michigan can be grey and cold. Some Michiganders seek the hygge practiced in Scandinavian countries, wanting to stay inside, grab a cup of coffee, and snuggle up with a good book, distracting themselves until things start to bud again. While cozying up can bring peace and fulfillment, if we’re being honest, sometimes the lack of sunlight can get to a person, bringing weariness rather than coziness. But at The Leelanau School, we’re focused on wintering well.  It’s risky, of course, to kick off the warm blanket and try something new. But when we step out into the winter world, we find there’s a lot of magic blooming during this time, too! At The Leelanau School, winter term can be when our lights shine brightest. So bright, in fact, we forget that the sky may be grey and the temperature brisk. During our winter term, the campus is abuzz with creativity. And creativity is vital to, well, vitality – especially during a time...

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The Leelanau School: Where the ADHD Student Thrives

The Leelanau School: Where the ADHD Student Thrives ABOUT A 3 MINUTE READ –  On an average day here at The Leelanau School, you’ll find Mr. Blondia and his students dressed in waders stepping into the Crystal River to fish or study the river’s slimy inhabitants. You’ll see Mr. Hood and his students sliding on beekeeper suits to collect some honey or Mrs. Hood mountain biking through the trails. In the winter, students learn about survival in the great outdoors and whirl down ski hills on the daily. This is experiential learning.  And this kind of outdoor learning is what many students with ADHD need to thrive. Nature experts like Richard Louv and psychologists like Dr. Carl Sherman agree that green time helps those with ADHD. In Louv’s monumental book, The Last Child in the Woods, he describes our children and teens today suffering from what he has coined, Nature Deficit Disorder. He claims that without the outside world, kids suffer. But with adequate time in nature, their anxieties and even ADHD symptoms can decrease. Because without walls...

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The Leelanau School: Where Wonder is Revived

The Leelanau School: Where Wonder is Revived ABOUT A  2  MINUTE READ –  Humans, especially children, are natural observers. Over time, however, our curiosity gets squashed. We don’t stop to look at the skeleton of an old leaf, listen to the gentle pulsing of a river, or touch the smoothness of a fallen acorn. So, our joy diminishes.  But here, at the Leelanau School, wonder is revived.  As a new faculty on campus, I had a small moment in time which demonstrates this… On move-in day, a freshman asked me, “Hey, wanna go checkout the river?”  “Sure!” I said, as he ran ahead.  We stood on the bridge together, sun beaming down through the trees. From another state, his excitement to observe Northern Michigan was wiggling out of him. Right away we spotted a toad on the muddy bank. The freshman bolted down, trying to catch it.  The toad leapt into the water.  We both laughed and the freshman knelt down, looking into the river. Almost meditating. Next, another toad jumped into the water. And another. And another! With each splash, we gasped, then squealed...

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The Benefits of Residential Life at a Boarding School

The Benefits of Residential Life at a Boarding School about a 2 minute read Residential Life programs provide a boarding school with uniquely important opportunities for students to learn and develop beyond the academic curriculum.  Boarding Schools who value and invest in their Residential Life programs with the same priority as they do their academic programs foster greater in-depth learning for their students.  It is in these residential opportunities that they develop readiness not only for their next academic step but for marketable and valuable skills necessary to be successful in the workforce and their community.  Schools who choose to invest in Residential Life will see greater success in their graduates becoming productive members of society due to their resultant emotional, social, physical, and life skill development.  Residential Life programs provide both the opportunity and obligation to create a curriculum that fosters life skills, character, resilience and community values. Such learning ensures the development of personal wellness, self-confidence...

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The Importance of Seeing the Small Things

The Importance of Seeing the Small Things about a 1 minute read Small Moments are where the magic happens. We can all get caught up in the big moments of life, preparing our youth and selves for the next milestone – making sure students are understanding the material, accumulating developmental assets, and learning independence in order for them to be productive members of society. Sometimes we all forget to slow down and look around.  Slow down and look around The small moments often get glossed over in life because we are reaching for the next big goal. The quiet victories, opportunities for help, and daily demonstration of character can get lost in the shuffle of life. But these moments are what makes learning and living special. It is essential to celebrate all the small things because “life is a journey, not a destination”.  Success in education requires taking time to get to know students and families. It is what makes growth and development possible.  It is what allows a school to become a connected community; a village where learning...

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