The Leelanau School

If you are looking for a special place that will be like a second home to your child, with loving staff, incredible teachers, and a once-in-a-lifetime experience, this is the place. This is not rhetoric; I genuinely get emotional when I talk about how much we love this place and what an incredible difference this school has made in our child's self-esteem, education, and life in general. We live 9 hours from this school and are average middle-class folks, this school was a HARD decision for us as a really close-knit family to decide on for many reasons: price, distance, and being away from your child.... But, someone recommended it and after visiting and touring the campus our son fell in love with it. He has loved all 4 years there, and I will tell anyone who listens that without this school my son would not be and have the things he has today (confidence, music skills, comfort with adults, and an education like none other). My advice to anyone on the fence is just GO VISIT. It's very simple, go and visit and spend a day on campus.

Leelanau has been transformational for our son, and I am confident it will greatly improve his life beyond high school.Our son is a smart and engaging boy. Despite a good level of support from the school. , he struggled badly in the public school system. We searched for a school that would be focused on college preparation - but also effective at teaching methods that address his executive function and ADHD issues. We found it at Leelanau.Leelanau is unique in addressing our sons needs academically, socially and emotionally. The teachers are very skilled and the administrators are engaged and talented. Despite its small size, it offers a good range of extracurricular activities, including arts, music, theater and outings.The school has very small class size and personal attention, and multifaceted approach to learning to help each student achieve their potential. They offer a very solid education in the core high school skills: math, literacy, science, etc. It takes advantage of its truly beautiful and unique setting in the middle of a National Lake Shore (similar to a national park) for teaching opportunities (such as for biology) and socially (for camping and outings).

As a student with ADHD, this school changed my life. Some of the kindest, most caring people I''ve ever met work at this school. Some of them attend it. It's in a beautiful place and they do an amazing job of teaching. Excellent. 10/10 would recommend.

The Leelanau School is unique. Academically, it has an ideal student-teacher ratio, and the experiential approach to education keeps kids focussed and enthusiastic. Given the student-teacher ratio, my son is learning a valuable skill speaking with teachers and adults (other than parents) about school and life. It is a subtle, but significant, difference to traditional schools. The teachers and staff at Leelanau care, and it shows. My son went from 1. something to a 3.2 overnight after switching from a traditional, catholic, college-prep school to Leelanau. Here's why: in biology, why reach into a formaldehyde filled jar, pull out a dead frog, and dissect it when you can go down to the Crystal River, catch a fish and dissect that instead? In English, why sit in a class and discuss a great book (think The Sword in the Stone), when you can read the book and then go see a falconer and learn about falconry? Or, why read a book about swimming in a classroom when you can go outside and swim in a river between chapters? Which approach will reinforce the concepts better? Same material, different approach, better outcome. The Leelanau campus is beautiful, too. It is situated on Lake Michigan, the Crystal River runs through it, the campus is exceptionally large and forested, and the accommodations are just right. I highly recommend this school.

The school is amazing! They are committed to keeping class sizes small, so all students receive individuailzed attention. Students are encuraged to think for themselves and ask questions, while particiapating in a rigorous college prep. curriculum. All classes are hands on and minds on, thus honoring all learners and helping all students succeeded . An incredible school, we wish all students could attend Leelanau!

Leelanau School has been the best decision for my child! Our child is independent and has found an environment where he is thriving! Leelenau is a structured and loving environment where students are surrounded by a staff invested in seeing each child reach their individual potential. Highly Recommend!

Fantastic program! Teachers, advisers, and administrators work with each student individually to help students grow academically, socially and emotionally. It's one of the best programs I've seen as an educator and as a parent. So much of it is hands-on and outside that the location is beyond ideal. You can't do this kind of work in New York City or Boston.

This school is an amazing and beautiful place. The staff and students become like family. The kids are given the support and tools to really grow emotionally and intellectually. The environment they have created gives their students an abundance of opportunities to experience success. The Leelanau environment fosters leadership, creativity, self discovery and confidence. Best decision I ever made for my son and he agrees.