At The Leelanau School, we offer day and boarding students in grades 9-12 an educational experience where integrated learning support, individualized attention, small classes, and a commitment to whole-person wellness are at the center of what we do.Students discover and develop their strengths as both students and citizens with the guidance of engaged faculty committed to cultivating a school where students know and embrace themselves as learners – no matter how they learn.
A BETTER WAY TO LEARN
Leelanau’s rich, supportive environment is a community where teachers love to teach and the focus is on how to learn, rather than what to learn. We are a haven for intelligent and creative students: the bright, the talented, the inquisitive who may also feel unchallenged, restless, and anxious.
Academics
Music, Visual Arts & Theater
At The Leelanau School creativity is encouraged and students are welcome to explore each arts discipline. Parents are often amazed that their “non-singing” child has a beautiful voice or that their camera shy child feels perfectly comfortable on the other side of the lens!
You don’t have to come with a talent, we will help you discover and develop your talents.
Health, Wellness, & Nutrition
April is International Guitar Month. Over the decades, students familiar and new to the guitar have found a musical home at Leelanau under the guidance of extraordinary teachers, among friends, and appreciative audiences. Apologies to all the guitar heroes we didn't feature today. These wall remember you, too! #mightysnappy #thesoundofmusic #abetterwaytolearn #theleelanauschool ... See MoreSee Less
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Yay!
"It's crazy how much the dogs help the new students make that transition to boarding school. They can be vulnerable with the dogs before they are vulnerable with everyone else." —Jess Fales, Residence Life Instructor
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“I have a learning disability so learning does not come easy for me. I have to work for it every day. So when I came here as a student, that's really what they worked on with me: how to become a better learner. Once I started to gain success, it just snowballed in a positive way. In college, I took every lesson and experience from here and was able to graduate with honors.” Rob Dymond '20 | Alumnus & Coordinator of Campus Safety, Technology & Auxiliary Programs #PeopleoftheLeelanauSchool #abetterwaytolearn
Do you know a student that could benefit from a better way to learn? Share and learn more at bit.ly/47dCfuY. ... See MoreSee Less
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Good work, Rob. You should be proud.
Very proud of my son and love The Leelanau School
Not a better school anywhere
"We're wired to learn. That's just survival. And when you ask people about their most powerful learning experience, they hardly ever talk about a cinder block classroom. They’ll talk about a fishing adventure with their uncle or exploring a pond in the woods. The concept of schooling is a relatively new idea in human history - sending young people to experts outside the family - and it is supposed to facilitate learning. It’s fair to question how this experiment is working. The truth is that the results are mixed. Real authentic learning has to be intrinsically rewarding. The student has to experience it for themselves. They have to construct their own knowledge. Authentic learning can't be given - it has to be experienced." —Rob Hansen, Head of School
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This is one of my favorite Rob pictures from Senior Exploratory!
Pretty great quote too!
"This is such a warm and nurturing environment where differences and talents are really celebrated. We really try to create a safe space where they can let their guard down and be themselves, where they can make mistakes and learn from them. The adults here really model that, not only in the classroom but in social contexts. It’s about communication, self-regulation, and how to be confident while still being yourself. Our goal is to let students get comfortable being themselves while celebrating their differences." - Katlyn Martin, M.S.Ed.C. | School Counselor and College Adviser
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Parent/Teacher Conferences. ✔️ Suitcases Packed. ✔️ Fresh Snow. ✔️ It must be SPR🌱NG and Spring Break! Safe travels to our students and families. Adventures ahead. #abetterwaytolearn #springatlast #theleelanauschool ... See MoreSee Less
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It's time to come home for a visit! Alumni Reunion and Housing Registration is now available at leelanau.org/reunions or bit.ly/3R0CIde. Questions? Email alumni@leelanau.org ... See MoreSee Less
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Register at leelanau.org/reunions or bit.ly/3R0CIde beginning at 8 am on Thursday, March 20. ... See MoreSee Less
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"When new students come in, they are usually a mixture of hopeful and scared. There is a search for belonging, and the boarding environment really helps provide that. We start the year with the exploratory experiences, which are usually camping trips and those are all about making connections and creating a sense of belonging. They come out of this knowing each other outside the classroom. All of this means that once they get into the classroom and the Learning Center, there is more of a sense of seeing students as individuals. They understand that at Leelanau, school is not about judging them - it’s about finding what works for them." Michael Jarvis | Dean of Students #PeopleoftheLeelanauSchool #abetterwaytolearn #theleelanauschool
Grow at The Leelanau School. Apply now for the 2025-2026 school year: bit.ly/4e0Ddgq ... See MoreSee Less
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