These days, some schools frown upon trips that take kids out of school, even if the travel is educational. For example, the principal of a school in Pennsylvania made the news recently when she told a father that his children would receive unexcused absences for accompanying him on his trip to Boston to run the Boston Marathon. For that principal, time away from school apparently means that children aren’t learning. At the Leelanau School, we think differently.

Leelanau School Awareness Night at the State Theatre Is May 18th Students at the Leelanau School know that they are in a special place. They know that they are surrounded by people who accept and support them, and that the experiential learning they encounter on an everyday basis will help them make their educational and career dreams come true. On Monday, May 18, we will be sharing those and other unique benefits of our school during Leelanau School Awareness Night at the historic State Theatre in downtown Traverse City.

A college preparatory boarding school is, as its name suggests, a place to prepare students for college. Of course academic success is a major part of that preparedness, but another equally important part is the development of life skills. These are the skills that will allow success in college, and beyond, to happen. The skills that are essential to building, navigating, and living successful and meaningful lives. Taking personal responsibility, learning to manage emotions, developing social awareness, and practicing personal wellness are examples of life skills that are important for all people and that are developed and strengthened at The Leelanau School.

Last week, I was asked by a local resident “what kind of parent sends their child away to boarding school?” I have, as you might guess, answered this question many times and I see it as an opportunity to talk about the Leelanau School as well as broaden others’ perspectives on options for secondary education. My short answer goes like this: Parents will often look at boarding school as an option because they find that they provide a better learning environment for their child or meet the needs of their child better than any of their local options.

The spring LeelaNews has been published and should be arriving in mailboxes soon. This edition of the LeelaNews has great articles about Life Skills Education, the recent visit by Joshua Davis and On Stage 4 Kids, plus updates on the Leelanow donor campaign and an update from our Admissions Department.