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.
Experiential Learning
Academics
Academics at The Leelanau School go beyond hands on. We engage all your senses in learning to include kinesthetic, visual, and verbal learning. Through our methods, students are immersed in the learning experience. When you go out to collect data from the Crystal River for Biology class, you will not only be asked to note what the instrumental readings are, but also what you observe through sight, sound and smell.
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
The Leelanau School feels that students need to develop healthy lifestyles for their lifetimes. Our overall wellness program is designed around this premise by providing activities and guidance.
Students don't thrive because they feel successful.
They become successful because they first feel like they belong.
Real friendships.
Adults who know them.
A community where being different isn't something to hide.
Belonging isn't a reward at Leelanau. It's where learning begins.
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It's not too late to find the right school for this fall.
If your current plan no longer feels like the right fit, there's still time to explore a different path.
The Leelanau School is still accepting applications for the 2026–2027 school year. We'd be happy to answer your questions, schedule a campus visit, and help you determine whether our community is the right fit for your student.
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The best schools don't have to choose between high expectations and humanity.
At The Leelanau School, we believe students thrive when rigorous learning is paired with meaningful support, authentic relationships, and a community that truly knows them.
A recent blog explores why making schools more humane may be the most effective way to improve learning.
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Improving Learning by Making Schools More Humane - The Leelanau School
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If schools were more humane in practice and purpose, students would thrive. They would value education more deeply, take greater ownership of their learning, and approach their work with integrity and...0 CommentsComment on Facebook
"Leelanau students are authentic, creative, bright people who are courageous enough to want something different for themselves. They come from families who love and know their kids and who recognize that life doesn’t start after high school. Our kids are living their lives right now, among the trees and along the shore, within a community of adults who love and believe in them," - Provost Becca Dymond. ... See MoreSee Less
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Home - The Leelanau School
leelanau.org
The Leelanau School is a experiential coed college prep boarding and day school for grades 9-12 - Offering integrated learning support, individualized attention, small classes, and a commitment to who...1 CommentsComment on Facebook
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Due to today's conditions and the need to make an early decision, the Beach Bards performance has been canceled for tonight, July 17, 2026.
Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you at a future Beach Bards event. ... See MoreSee Less
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At Leelanau, we believe something simple and powerful: when students take notice of the natural world around them, they start to care more deeply—for themselves and for one another.
It begins with something small—a fish, a walk in the woods, a sunset on Lake Michigan, or the discovery of something unexpected. From there, curiosity grows into connection, and connection into empathy. This is when learning takes root—and becomes joyful.
This is our Leelanau experience. 🍃
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Who Thrives at The Leelanau School? - The Leelanau School
leelanau.org
Is The Leelanau School the right fit for your child? Learn about the students and families who find success in our small, relationship-centered boarding and day high school. %0 CommentsComment on Facebook
When schools are designed to support students with ADHD, they become better schools for everyone.
At The Leelanau School, we believe wellness, connection, movement, and explicit instruction aren't accommodations—they're essential ingredients for learning.
A recent blog explores why the future of education begins by designing schools around how students actually learn.
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Attention, Wellness, and the Kind of Schools Kids Deserve - The Leelanau School
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At first glance, it might seem like students with ADHD need something “special” — a particular kind of structure, a certain flexibility, more patience, more movement. And they do. But the longer...0 CommentsComment on Facebook
A great education begins with belonging.
When students feel seen, known, and understood, they're more willing to take risks, build relationships, and discover a genuine love of learning.
That's the kind of community we've intentionally created at The Leelanau School.
We're still accepting applications for the 2026–2027 school year. ... See MoreSee Less
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