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.

The Leelanau School is a unique place that gives its students special opportunities. Whether it’s studying biology on location at beautiful Glen Lake, or having English class on the beach, things happen at our school that are truly extraordinary. One of those things happened this past Friday, February 20. At a fabulous school assembly, the Leelanau community was treated to a performance by a new music education project called On Stage 4 Kids. This program brings some of the top musicians and songwriters in Michigan to elementary, middle, and high schools across the state. The goal of On Stage 4 Kids is to educate K-12 students about the songwriting, history, and culture of American music.