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Lake Placid, New York, USA Co-Ed, No Religious Affiliation
Founded in 1938, North Country School (NCS) offers a traditional curriculum for boarding and day students in grades 4-9. NCS students come from diverse backgrounds, cultures and countries, and they are known well by the dedicated, multi-talented adults who teach and care for them. NCS' unique programming - demanding academics, extensive offerings in studio and performing arts, family-style residential living, and outdoor activities from horseback riding to ice climbing - provides a variety of venues through which every child can find success. The spectacular North Country School campus is in the Adirondack Mountains near Lake Placid, NY, a popular resort destination and site of two Winter Olympic Games.
Our 220-acre campus features a working farm, extensive gardens, and alpine wilderness that provide hands-on opportunities for learning and growth. Here boys and girls in grades 4-9 benefit from a literal and metaphorical breath of fresh air; our children thrive in a carefully paced program that features equal parts academics, arts, work, and play. The guidance of talented, committed adults and a strong, diverse community instill in students values of simple living and environmental responsibility. With a unique mix of inspiring people, place, and programs, North Country School helps students flourish.
4382 Cascade RoadLake Placid, New York, USA 12946 (518) 523-9329
Director of Admissions: David Damico Admissions Phone:(518) 523-9329 ext. 6000Fax:518-523-4858 Email: [email protected] Website: www.northcountryschool.org
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Posted on September 20, 2019 North Country School students joined youth around the world to participate in the Global Climate Strike, urging world leaders to act more aggressively to combat climate change. more...
Posted on August 21, 2019 North Country School partnered with three local organizations to provide them with their own composting systems, similar to what we operate on our campus. The design, created by NCS Sustainability Director, John Culpepper, allows tons of compost to be processed each year. more...
Summary: Our traditional core curriculum, enriched by hands-on projects and activities, focuses on the acquisition of solid academic skills. Small classes allow for attention and instruction that challenge each child according to his or her ability. We have high expectations for our students.NCS founder Walter Clark wrote, “This whole school was built on this thought: children need direct experience if they are to grow and learn most effectively.” Years later, our focus on direct experience remains at the heart of our program. Children learn by doing, and they grow by exploring new things, all with the guidance of caring, creative adults.In our academic program, the emphasis on experiential learning is evident in hands-on projects and lessons that focus on our location. In North Country School classes, math students learn about measurement and acquire new computer skills when they record and track the weights of newborn lambs in the barnyard. Science students study anatomy by reassembling chicken skeletons using bones from birds they harvested in the fall. Students learn the physical properties of snow pack during a winter term unit on avalanches. In English class, students write persuasive letters to elected officials about current issues they have researched; they create hand-bound, hard-cover journals of their writing and artwork. In arts electives, students paint barn murals, renovate a rowboat in disrepair, or dye wool from our sheep to use in knitting and felting projects.To help students acquire the basic and advanced skills they need in all core academic disciplines, NCS teachers employ a mix of instructional strategies. From collaborative group work to lectures to hands-on labs and projects, students experience innovative teaching strategies on a daily basis. A variety of support services is also available to meet students’ needs.Finally, North Country School embraces the use of computer technology as a critical learning tool. Homework and other class projects are posted on NCS' Google Apps platform, facilitating student-teacher communication. The computer lab is equipped with modern video and photo editing software. While NCS keeps current with technological advances, the school takes pride in a judicious use of technology in order to minimize students' unproductive computer time.
Department Director: Dave Steckler
Average Class Size: 8
Full Time Teachers: 25
Teachers Holding Advanced Degrees: 40.00%
Student/Teacher Ratio: 3:1
Academic Schedule: Trimester
Summary: Students at NCS live with a roommate in one of six small houses of 8-10 children. A team of faculty houseparents works carefully to support and supervise each child. Sharing living spaces and the daily routines of morning wake-up, evening study hall, and bedtime creates strong relationships among the children and adults in the house. The house becomes the place for much of each student's learning and growth. "Home nights" every Wednesday - when each house prepares and eats dinner together and enjoys special activities - help students feel a sense of family and a "home away from home."
Department Director: Brian Johansmeyer
Number of Dorms: 1
Average Students Per Dorm: 10
No. of Boys Dorms: 1
No. of Co-Ed Dorms: 5
Dorm Amenities:
Dress Code: Casual
Summary: Learning at NCS takes place not just in the classroom. Helping a younger housemate with math homework; packing for a weekend overnight; enjoying a Wednesday "home night" activity with housemates: these are the opportunities for recreation and sharing that round out the North Country School experience.A full weekday schedule, close-knit house life and a robust weekend program provide students with enriching experiences and help build the strong community that gives every child the vital sense that he or she belongs.Balancing academics, arts, work and play includes making time for physical activity, socializing with friends and quiet or alone time for reading and music. We do not view students as small adults; our children need and deserve time for fun, play and invention.
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Clubs and Organizations
Summary: ARTS:“Art every day” are words we live by at North Country School.For a school our size, we have an unusually large group of arts teachers (more than one-third of the faculty teaches an arts class) and an impressive array of course listings. All students have the equivalent of at least one art class every day, with younger students rotating through core classes in music, theatre, painting and drawing, ceramics, fiber arts, photography, and woodshop. 7th-9th graders choose from electives that provide opportunities for advanced mastery of core arts, as well as exposure to new offerings that range from documentary filmmaking to wooden boat restoration or metal shop. Students of all ages have opportunities to submit their work to juried art shows sponsored by local arts organizations.Intersession is a week in February that is dedicated to arts and crafts, and the annual spring play is a decades-old tradition that involves nearly everyone on campus. Every year the production features original sets, music, effects, and costuming that are remarkable for both their creativity and sustainability—most staging and costuming are made from recycled materials.OUTDOORS AND ATHLETICS: Taking full advantage of our spectacular mountain setting, the Outdoor Program offerings range from a walk in the woods to ambitious multi-day hiking and backpacking trips. We offer team sports: soccer, basketball, cross-country skiing and ultimate frisbee, as well as a riding program with ten horses, two riding rings and miles of mountain trails. In the winter months, we have extensive snow sport offerings: skiing and snowboarding on our own ski hill and at Whiteface Mountain, Nordic skiing, skating, and ice climbing. The outdoor program encourages students to take risks, acquire new skills, and gain confidence. All gear, except for personal clothing, is provided so that all children have the opportunity to participate in all offerings.
Arts Department Director: Sierra Grennan
Athletics Department Director: Bryan Johansmeyer
Summary: At NCS, 95 percent of ninth graders are accepted to their first- or second-choice school. The Secondary School Placement Program assists students in selecting an appropriate high school and supports them through the application process. The Placement Advisor works with students throughout the process. He provides coaching in SSAT test-taking strategies, application essay writing, and practice interviews.
Department Director: Bryan Johansmeyer
Colleges attended in the past 5 years by our graduates:
Andrea Gruber American Dramatic Soprano
Adam Guettel American Composer
Yasmin Aga Khan Philanthropist
David Loud American Musician
Richard Rockefeller Physician, Philanthropist
Eileen Rockefeller Growald Author, Philanthropist
Matt Salinger American Actor
Robel Teklemariam Olympian
David Sloan Wilson American Evolutionary Biologist
Summary: Camp Treetops is an Adirondacks summer camp for children ages 8-14, located in the mountains outside Lake Placid, NY.Here, children experience the natural world and an array of creative and challenging activities in a simple, unhurried, child-centered environment.Children will swim in our lake, ride horses, go hiking, make pottery and woodshop projects, sing campfire songs and make friends with other children from around the world.
Department Director: Karen Culpepper
June 26, 2021 to August 14, 2021
Camp Treetops is an Adirondacks summer camp for children ages 8-14, located in the mountains outside Lake Placid, NY.Children will swim in our lake, ride horses, go hiking, make pottery and woodshop projects, sing campfire songs and make friends with other children from around the world.
Registration Deadline: May 14, 2021 Tuition: $7,650-10400 Financial Aid Available: Yes More Details