Kents Hill School Viewbook | Design Your Future (2016-17)

DISCOVER YOUR PLACE

Design uture YOUR

K E N T S

H I L L

S C H O O L

transform

explore

AT KENTS HILL SCHOOL we educate our students in mind, body, and character to: Prepare for the challenges and opportunities of higher education; Accept and respect themselves and others, and work together for the common good; Be responsible stewards of our natural environment and Kents Hill School’s community heritage; Embody the ideal that one man or woman of principle can always make a difference.

Welcome TO KENTS HILL

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AT KENTS HILL SCHOOL you will find a vibrant community of students and teachers from many backgrounds and nationalities. You will be challenged each day to learn about yourself and others, your talents and strengths, and how you can make a difference. You will become part of a family that celebrates the accomplishments of each individual and the time-honored values of leadership and compassion.

We offer a college-preparatory program for boarding and day students that allows you to define and pursue your passions. At the heart of the Kents Hill mission is our focus on acquiring knowledge not for its own sake but for its application to solving the challenges facing a global community.

learn

leadership

character

compassion

courage

altruism

WHEN YOU FEEL SAFE

MY VOICE IS ALWAYS

AT KENTS HILL, teachers are

and loved you can do your best.

encouraged and heard. I can

more than just your teachers. They’re

Kents Hill creates that sense of

shine here.

your friends, mentors, dorm parents,

family and community.

coaches, and inspiration.

History Matters AT K E N T S H I L L

F

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ounded in 1824, Kents Hill School is one of the

With its historic buildings and views of the mountains,

oldest co-educational independent schools in the

our campus is a reflection of the spirit of Kents Hill,

United States. From its opening, when it was known

a school adopting innovations in the classroom and in

as the Maine Wesleyan Seminary, the school admitted

campus life while honoring the guiding principles that

both boys and girls and set aside funds to enroll

have made us strong for close to two hundred years.

children from disadvantaged families. The Maine abolitionist movement had its start at the school, making the Seminary a center of ethical leadership in the state.

Kents Hill’s history shaped the character of the school and continues to define it today. Our commitment to our core values makes Kents Hill a welcoming, exciting, and life-changing place where you will learn and grow.

DISCOVER YOUR PLACE. DESIGN YOUR FUTURE.

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s a boarding or day student at Kents Hill School,

you will be immersed in a vital community with many opportunities and activities. Kents Hill is known for the friendly, open spirit that defines campus life.

Being connected to and supporting each other come first here. Kents Hill students challenge themselves OUR STUDENT BODY

includes students from more than 34 Maine communities, 21 states, and 19 countries.

in academics, athletics, and extracurricular activities in an atmosphere of mutual respect and encouragement.

Teachers at Kents Hill have a passion for their subjects that engages students in the exploration of ideas. They also serve as coaches for athletic teams, dorm parents, and academic advisors. You will have

Community Thrives AT K E N T S H I L L

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the chance to spend time with your teachers and their families informally, over brownies in the dorm and weekend activities like a trip to L.L. Bean. Your teachers

AT KENTS HILL, I have learned

will be important resources and guides as you manage

more than I ever thought I would

academic and extracurricular commitments.

learn. Every teacher knows me by

The advising program pairs students with faculty

name and is genuinely interested in

members in small groups that meet weekly at a

helping me achieve my goals.

designated time in the schedule. Students also share a meal with their advisors at least once a week. Our structured advising program reflects our dedication to giving every student the support to succeed.

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supportive

welcoming

life-changing

MORE THAN HALF OF OUR

THE STUDENT/TEACHER

faculty hold advanced degrees.

ratio is 6:1, and the average

class size is 10.

Learning is Interactive AT K E N T S H I L L

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he Kents Hill School curriculum offers over

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100 courses that challenge students to apply what they

to study in England, France, South Africa, and beyond.

learn through critical thinking and problem-solving.

These programs reflect our commitment to promoting

Classes are focused on collaborative, project-based

global awareness and understanding, both on campus

learning and discussion and discovery. With a wide

and in the experiences students have off campus. For

range of Advanced Placement, honors, and elective

international students, we offer an English Language

courses to choose from, you will be able to delve deeply

Learners (ELL) Program with a progressive curriculum.

into such topics as Environmental Studies, Literature and Film, Introduction to Robotics, and Economics.

For students who wish to study subjects outside the standard curriculum, independent study is an option.

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The exchange programs we offer take students

inspiring

empowering

AP COURSES ARE OFFERED

in English, US and European History, US Government and Politics, Calculus, Statistics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Environmental Science, Studio Art (2D/3D) and Drawing, and more.

The Learning Skills Program at the Akin Learning Center provides individualized support for students who need additional academic coaching or have mild learning differences. Learning Skills Program students are fully integrated into the college preparatory curriculum, with most placing out of the program by senior year. The Learning Skills Program gives Kents Hill School a particular awareness of teaching to a variety of learning styles. The unique blend of high-achieving, college bound students we enroll creates an egalitarian atmosphere and a diverse community.

The Learning Skills Program offers two levels of support

confidence

based on individual academic needs. Teachers follow the Landmark College academic coaching model and work closely with classroom teachers to ensure that appropriate accommodations are offered and learning needs met. The goal is for students to become self-sufficient and prepared for their college experience after Kents Hill.

passion

independence

opportunity

initiative

K

ents Hill School students make things happen,

from organizing hiking trips to planning Saturday night dances. Boarding school life is a complete experience, with friendships made in the dormitories, on athletic teams, and through shared interests in extracurricular groups. At the heart of this experience is the value Kents Hill places on giving students leadership opportunities and instilling a strong sense of ethics.

KENTS HILL is about me, but it’s about all of us too.

What we do at Kents Hill, from our time together in the classroom to social events on the weekends, is shaped by our core values of altruism, compassion, courage,

Leadership Counts AT K E N T S H I L L

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friendship, honesty, perseverance, responsibility, scholarship, sportsmanship, and tolerance, which together represent leadership. Our core values are at the center of conversations in the classroom, in advising groups, and on the playing field.

A boarding school offers much more than the typical day school: an internationally diverse student body, a living and learning environment that introduces students to new experiences, opportunities for project-based learning and study in other countries, and the chance to assume a wide range of leadership roles on campus.

EACH CLASS ADOPTS one of

our core values as their theme for their time at Kents Hill and gives an assembly presentation about their

Students find that boarding school life gives them the

choice. Recent values featured

independence, confidence, and initiative that makes for

include sportsmanship, altruism,

a smooth transition to college and prepares them for

and courage.

wide-ranging careers.

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WE MEET OUR STUDENTS as individuals.

To us, this means knowing students well enough that we can provide the right thing at the right moment for a given student.

The Arts

Open Doors AT K E N T S H I L L

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t Kents Hill School, we see the arts as a door to

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imaging, illustration, and graphic arts. Classes

greater understanding of our fellow human beings and

include Environmental Art and Design, and Sculpture

ourselves. We provide a rich program in the visual arts,

and 3-D Design.

music, and theater that gives every student the

For students interested in music, on-campus private

opportunity to practice and perform. Students may

lessons and instruction are available. Students may

choose from a range of arts electives and extracurricular activities. Students are required to take four trimesters of courses in the arts, but most go beyond the requirement with a full two years or more of arts courses.

Portland Youth Symphony. Other campus music the Kents Hill Singers.

campus and teach classes in their specialities in visual arts, music, and performing arts. They are an inspiring

The performing arts program offers such courses as acting, playwriting, theater history, and stagecraft, and

presence on campus and a resource for students

stages two drama productions each trimester. Students

and teachers.

have the opportunity to direct and produce shows and gain performance experience in a range of productions,

In the visual arts, we offer an average of 15 elective courses per trimester. The recently installed Macintosh

Š

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musicians, with local orchestral groups such as the groups include the Contemporary Rock Band and

Visiting artists-in-residence spend the year on

Laboratory provides the latest technology for digital

perform in chamber music groups and, for advanced

from one-acts to large-cast musicals.

creative

visionary

expressive 15

T

he athletics program offers beginning and

seasoned athletes teams in 19 plus sports and a full range of opportunities for practice and competition.

Students participate in a team sport or afternoon activity each trimester. Our coaches have extensive experience competing as college and professional athletes.

Kents Hill School fields junior varsity and varsity teams in most sports and is known for strong teams in alpine skiing, ice hockey, cross country, and fencing. Our facilities feature the largest contiguous complex of turf fields in New England to accommodate our football and other teams, an NHL-size ice hockey rink, and a state-of-the-art gymnasium complex and fitness center.

Team Spirit AT K E N T S H I L L

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The Joanne & Dick O’Connor Alpine Center is one of the most unique features of our campus and athletics program. With two on-surface lifts, the Center provides

MY FAVORITE THING about Kents Hill is that I’m not defined by

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beginner and intermediate skiing and snowboarding terrain. The Liz Cross Mellon Lodge, with its beautiful views of the ski slope and Torsey Pond, is the center of

a single sport, like a “hockey player”

ski coaching and a gathering place for weekend events.

or “lacrosse player.” Even though we

Kents Hill hosts an extensive alpine racing schedule,

have our own passions and talents,

including U.S.S.A. races with close to 200 participants.

we’re encouraged to play other sports

A Division I Collegiate ski team and local public school

and join different teams on campus.

teams make use of our facilities.

sportsmanship

Rocks dedication

true grit

at home

Maine

hilltop beauty 18

OUR CAMPUS ENCOMPASSES

400 acres with miles of hiking and cross country trails.

The

LEAVING YOUR CHILD at Kents Hill is like dropping them off at your brother’s or sister’s house. You know the people at Kents Hill are going to treat your child like their own.

Landscape Inspires AT K E N T S H I L L

O

ur campus can be described in one word —

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Winter is the time for recreational or competitive skiing

beautiful. Kents Hill School is ideally located within

at the Alpine Center and our popular Winter Carnival

easy driving distance of Boston, Portland, and the Maine

with team competitions in a variety of winter sports.

coast. Our location combines the best of the Maine countryside with access to major New England cities.

For students coming from across the United States and countries around the world, we provide shuttle service from airports in Boston and Portland.

For students from urban and suburban areas, Kents Hill offers a rare chance to spend time in a safe, ideal setting on a campus with a strong sense of history. Our historic buildings are complemented by recent additions and renovations that preserve our

The woods around campus feature miles of hiking

character while incorporating the latest technology.

and cross country skiing trails. Students and faculty

The dormitories become home away from home for

share such unique experiences as nighttime star walks

our students, who form close friendships with dorm

and make use of nearby wetlands for classes

mates and faculty dorm parents.

in environmental studies.

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T

he graduates of Kents Hill School enroll in a

wide range of outstanding colleges and universities and go on to careers across a spectrum of skills and interests. In preparing our students for the next steps after graduation, we focus on the ability to think IN A RECENT THREE-YEAR

independently and take initiative while working in a

span, Kents Hill students were

collaborative spirit with others. We strive to instill in

accepted to 180 different colleges

our graduates an awareness of how even small acts of

and universities.

leadership and vision can have a profound impact.

Kents Hill graduates are committed to making significant contributions to their communities.

The

uture AT K E N T S H I L L

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The College Counseling program is designed to help our students find the college that fits their goals and fields of study. We work closely with each student to make the decision and application process individualized.

Students receive guidance from college counselors with each step of the process, beginning in junior year, while learning important lessons about taking responsibility and decision making.

Our College Fair brings over eighty college representatives to campus to meet with students.

Our college counselors have strong relationships with students and understand each student’s strengths and goals. With their thorough knowledge of the multiple options in higher education and admissions processes, they are able to provide targeted advice.

For a list of colleges to which Kents Hill students have been accepted, visit www.kentshill.org.

is Yours

succeed

discover

WHAT IS KENTS HILL? My home.

AT K E N T S H I L L

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Schedule a Visit

T

he best way to see what makes Kents Hill School

such an inviting and exciting place is to visit campus.

We look forward to showing you our beautiful setting and facilities, introducing you to students and teachers, and arranging for you to attend a class.

Contact our Admissions Office to set up a personal tour and interview. For a full explanation of the admissions process, visit our website.

Kents Hill School 1614 Main Street Kents Hill, Maine 04349 207-685-1606 info@kentshill.org www.kentshill.org

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