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
It's National Day of Unplugging. If you don't have a phone napping station, a sock drawer will do! #bepresent #listen #converseinperson #gooutside #theleelanauschool ... See MoreSee Less
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The Leelanau School takes play very seriously! 🤸♂️ During adolescence, the brain is changing more rapidly than at any other time. Deep, meaningful play strengthens the neural connections that support learning, memory, decision-making, and emotion, while also building resilience, empathy, and a sense of belonging. Through shared play, teens develop social skills and learn to navigate frustration, anticipation, and disappointment.
Leelanau builds time and opportunity into our 24/7 schedule for play, games, creativity, and shared moments that spark joy and deepen friendships. #play #laugh #rest #bepresent #connect #abetterwaytolearn #theleelanauschool ... See MoreSee Less
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"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
#thepeopleoftheleelanauschool #experientiallearning #theleelanauschool #abetterwaytolearn ... See MoreSee Less
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The Leelanau School is the perfect place to say “I can,” “I will,” and sometimes “I do!” Cheers to all who have changed forever in this magical place. #magichappenshere #findyourlife #inspiration #theleelanauschool #nationalweddingplanningday ... See MoreSee Less
Forested Riverside Wedding at Leelanau School - juniper and lace events
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Robin & Reid made history for j+l as the first couple to jump in a canoe and float by their cheering guests after exchanging vows by the forested riverside. We (and the team from Tonic & Lime) had ...0 CommentsComment on Facebook
"The Leelanau School is such a privileged place to begin a career in education because you’re expected to learn through experience just as much as the students are. In a boarding school, you can’t step away from a hard moment—a difficult interaction, a tough day in class. Living alongside your students pushes you out of your comfort zone and asks you to own your humanness. Every experience becomes a chance to learn—and then a hundred chances to choose better the next time.
The seasoned staff support us in ways that go far beyond casual advice. Just as they do for our students, they let us stumble, but never fail.
The world often tells new teachers to be guarded, to be wary of the next generation. But educators must create environments where students feel safe. Leelanau teaches you how to do that: to remain hopeful and patient, to keep offering resources and chances even when they’re refused, and to have real, honest conversations with teenagers. In these early years especially, we grow as people just as much as our students do." - Avery Kostrzewa, Residence Life Instructor
#peopleoftheleelanauschool #growth #humanness #patience #abetterwaytolearn #theleelanauschool ... See MoreSee Less
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4 months and counting! The Class of 1986 is gearing up for a joyful 40th Reunion this summer. Organized by classmates Macgregor (Littler) Montano and Rick Taylor, the weekend promises great company and classic Leelanau moments—gathering at Art’s, exploring the Sleeping Bear Dunes, a Miller Hill bonfire under the stars, and time back on campus to reconnect and reminisce.
Want in? Email leelanau1986@gmail.com for details and to join the celebration! ... See MoreSee Less
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“Ugly in the middle” describes so many aspects of learning—and life: the stalled middle of a five-paragraph essay, the knotty stretch of an algebra problem, the early wobble of clay before it finds center, the bike up Miller Hill during Leelanau’s Outdoor Challenge, the long wait between planting and harvest. Adolescence. February. "
Read on to see how Leelanau builds patience, resilience, and trust in our students—even in the complicated middle. Inside: February highlights, Auditorium renovation progress, and the latest on our Centennial Campaign. bit.ly/4s3rjtE ... See MoreSee Less
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"Teaching history and English is all about making connections - with the text, with the past, with various cultures, with different perspectives, and most importantly, with each other. If I can teach my students to respect all of the above, and they can go out into the world and do the same with everyone they encounter, I will be happy." — Elizabeth Blondia, Humanities Department Chair; Government, History, and English. #thepeopleoftheleelanauschool #connections #perspectives #cultures #abetterwaytolearn #theleelanauschool ... See MoreSee Less
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The trick is to keep the pressure on, but with a gentle touch. Communication is key, up and down the line. Demonstrate grace when you have to start again. #learning #teamwork #interconnectedness #abetterwaytolearn #theleelanauschool ... See MoreSee Less
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