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
Photography and Darkroom
Ceramics
Improv
Singing and Songwriting
Applied Design
Musical Theater
“Mighty Snappy” Band
You don’t have to come with a talent, we will help you discover and develop your talents.
Health & Wellness
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.
You won’t find fatty, fried foods in our cafeteria line.
"The Leelanau School has encouraged me to trust myself by taking a unique path after graduating and not following what society has laid out for me."
- Will Madsen, Class of 2024
#seniorspotlight #classof2024 #abetterwaytolearn #followyourpath #trustyourself ... See MoreSee Less
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This is the best part of being a parent. Seeing where you decide to steer life. I really hope we get to see this years graduates! Congratulations Will!
Best of luck, Will!
Will Madsen, you are awesome!
Yesterday’s 22nd annual Leelanau Outdoor Challenge was a beautiful demonstration of our community’s teamwork, compassion, and commitment to wellness! Paddlers, bikers, and runners raced through Glen Arbor to challenge themselves and the great north. Students and staff helped, coached, and celebrated each other all the way to the finish line!
#leelanauschooltradition #abetterwaytolearn #outdoorchallenge #studentathletes #finishline #epicfalesphotography ... See MoreSee Less
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Congratulations to everyone!
I loved how much JOY Noah had in his voice when he described this day!!! I love everything about this!!! YAY The Leelanau School!!!!
How cool!!
Sitting idle in a classroom, disengaged and unchallenged, is unheard of on Leelanau’s campus. We touch, taste, feel, sing, experiment, juggle, wade, and star gaze along the path to learning. To learn more contact our Dean of Admission, Kate, at 231-334-5826 or email kcaliri@leelanau.org.
#abetterwaytolearn #falladmission #engagedlearning #fall2024 #fivesenses ... See MoreSee Less
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"Laura Hood changed our son Max's life. 'She helped me find my melody without writing down the notes,' he says, 'and opened my eyes to different musical expression.' Laura saw in Max, and more importantly, helped him see in himself, his talent and the importance of music in his life. She inspired him to grow his musical confidence that spread to other school activities, working with people, and making progress in other learning. Because of Laura's guidance and encouragement, his senior year Max called us up in Malawi where we lived and announced, with surety, that he was joining the Young Americans Performing Arts school after graduation. He travelled around the world with Young Americans, from Alaska to Singapore, Hong Kong to Sidney, South Africa, and Europe in between, living with host families, and teaching students to sing and dance and express themselves like Laura had helped him do. See her multiplier? Oh, yes, and he earned a degree while doing it. In everyone's life we hope at least one person comes into it and magically sparks us into becoming our best selves. That's what Laura did for Max and the Craun-Selka family loves her forever for doing so. Wishing her, Bruce, and their family every success in their next chapter." - Phyllis, Dan, Sophia, and Maximilian Craun-Selka '14 ... See MoreSee Less
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The hoods are amazing souls! I was lucky enough to have met both of them at the beginning of their journey at Leelanau. Thank you for you being you!
The best of the best. Thank you Mrs Hood for the tremendous impact you have had on our son. It’s impossible for me to describe how special you are and how much you have helped our son. Thank you!
Mrs. Hood is awesome, I loved footsteps so much! A wise and wonderful woman.
A few words of thanks to our own Bruce on National Bruce Day! "The Leelanau School provided Eliot '18 something that he really needed, classes where he could express himself in new ways and develop self-confidence. Bruce Hood was a huge influence on my son Eliot. Eliot had done a small amount of ceramics at his previous school, but doing it with Bruce at Leelanau School was a real turning point. With Bruce’s quiet encouragement, ceramics became something Eliot wanted to do, and could see himself doing for the rest of his life. Bruce arranged for a set of pieces Eliot made to be displayed at a gallery along with other students’ work, and nothing like that had ever happened to Eliot before. He was successful, and was making things other people admired! With Bruce’s help, by the time Eliot started at Albion College as a studio art major, he had assembled a ceramics portfolio and fit right in with fellow artists there. Eliot has kept in touch with Bruce, returning to Glen Arbor most recently after graduating from Albion in 2022 with a B.A. in Ceramics. He is looking forward to telling Bruce about his latest achievement, being selected as one of the American artists participating in the 2024 United States-Korea Invitational Ceramic Exhibition under the aegis of Seoul Cyber University in Seoul, South Korea. Thanks and Happy Retirement, Bruce!" - Armen Vartian | Leelanau Board of Trustees #nationalbruceday #thehoodsareretiring #marvelousmentors #thepeopleofleelanau #abetterwaytolearn #theleelanauschool ... See MoreSee Less
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Thank you for such amazing learning experiences Mr. Hood! May your retirement treat you well.
Thank you for everything Mr. Hood! You’re one of my all time favorite teachers 💚.
Many thanks for all the work you did with our daughter, Molly Behar ❤️ A grateful mom, Sharon
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We were fortunate to kick off our week by learning about Asian American Pacific Islander heritage month from one of our students who shared the historical background of the month, her experience as a Vietnamese American, and taught us how to play Bầu cua cá cọp.
#abetterwaytolearn #AAPIHeritageMonth #CelebrateAAPI #StudentLedLearning ... See MoreSee Less
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Great
What a joy to welcome The Pathfinder School's kindergarten class to our campus last Friday! From being their audience while they rehearsed their special spring performance on our big stage to playing together on the beach, these little ones filled our campus with energy and fun. Leelanau's students loved every moment too.
#abetterwaytolearn #whypathfinder #kindergartenmeetshighschool #collaboration #mentorship ... See MoreSee Less
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Yes, that is Leelanau School faculty member Joe Blondia judging this cool contest! ... See MoreSee Less
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Fabulous
Leelanau had an impromptu mini-reunion at Tuesday's NW Michigan Arts & Culture Summit at Interlochen. Shown left to right are Leelanau's Director of Alumni and Development, Kate Olson, former Director of Development Julie Povolo (City Opera House), and former Director of Marketing and alumna Kristie Shepard McCaw '99 (Glen Arbor Arts Center). #artmatters #cultureandnature #thecreativecoast #thepeopleofleelanau #theleelanauschool ... See MoreSee Less
2 CommentComment on Facebook
Loved seeing you wonderful women!!