Founded in 1938, North Country School has a long history of using nature, hands-on learning and meaningful work to educate children in grades 4-9, allowing them to grow, develop and explore under the guidance of talented, nurturing adults. Our values of sustainable living and social responsibility guide our curriculum and community expectations and are evident in all aspects of our programming, from our daily chores, family-style residences and Net Zero performing arts center to our emphasis on healthy, locally-sourced food, the diverse perspectives we bring to our classrooms and our extensive daily art offerings. Our 333-acre campus in upstate New York’s Adirondack Park features a sustainable farm, a private lake, a rock-climbing crag, a ski hill and miles of forest trails for horseback riding, mountain biking and cross-country skiing. A North Country School education helps children develop into confident and curious learners who contribute positively to the world around them.
What Makes Us Unique
At North Country School, children are given the space to engage with their own creativity, the natural world, and the community of which they are an integral part. Each child’s life here is unique, and our signature programs are at the heart of it all.
A North Country School education is woven into each and every one of our signature programs, creating a well-rounded, hands-on experience that prepares students for secondary school, college, and beyond. Our graduates are equipped with leadership skills, curiosity, and compassion earned through a curriculum that instills values while meeting each child where they are. By leveraging our location, talent, and facilities, we are able to educate in a dynamic, place-based learning environment. Our signature programs capitalize on this, providing students with the tools they need to explore the arts, challenge themselves in the outdoors, create with their hands, and participate in planting seeds, maintaining gardens, caring for animals, and harvesting food to feed their community. We believe there is great value in learning by doing, and there is no better example of that philosophy in action than our Arts, Outdoors, Farm and Garden, and Community Life programs.