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March 7, 2005Different styles of learning are focusLeelanau School will welcome varied studentsByRecord-Eagle staff writer GLEN ARBOR - A private college preparatory high school on Lake Michigan's shore is honing in on the needs of "students who learn differently." Long recognized for the individualized attention its small size affords, The Leelanau School is intensifying its focus on students with identified issues including dyslexia and attention deficit disorder, as well as other students who for some reason aren't best served by conventional education. "It's really a refinement of who we are and not a change from who we've been," said Richard Odell, Leelanau's president. "It's about realizing that you can't make all kids who are round fit into square holes. The school needs to fit the student." The school also is investing in resources to support its new focus, including an expanded resource center and staff training. Donna and Jim Anderson already know how Leelanau's customized, holistic educational philosophy can unlock students' potential by recognizing that there are many ways to think and learn. The Glen Arbor couple's 16-year-old son, Michael, is a sophomore at Leelanau and their oldest daughter graduated from the school in 2000, both as day students. Neither has identified learning disabilities, their parents said, but both students benefited from the individual attention Leelanau provides. The school let them learn at their own pace and in their own ways when traditional schools weren't the right fit, their parents said. Public schools face a lot of challenges, and local control is part of what makes Leelanau unique, the Andersons said. "They can change and decide things," Jim said. "If something isn't working, they'll try something else." Odell said the school will continue to accept all boarding and day students and they also will benefit from more individual attention. However, the school isn't equipped to accommodate significant social or physical issues. "We know who we can serve well and what their needs are," he said. "These are very bright kids." Odell said the school hopes to attract more students, but total enrollment will not exceed 120 students. The school currently has 38 staff members and 60 students, and next year will have 45 staff members for 75-80 students. Leelanau will be one of the only schools in the Midwest with a learning-differences focus. The Forman School in Connecticut, which bills itself as one of the nation's leading college prep schools for students with learning differences, has served as a model. "We're not looking for tremendous growth in a short period of time," Odell said. Tuition rates will increase to offset the investment in staff training and resources, Odell said. Tuition for new students for the 2005-2006 school year is $41,500 for boarding students, $29,643 for five-day boarding students and $15,200 for day students. The Andersons said the financial investment is worth it. "It fits our family really well," Donna Anderson said.
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