Get to Know Marvelwood

5 FUN THINGS ABOUT MARVELWOOD: 1. OUR NAME A MARVELWOOD STUDENT IS DRIVEN.

They seek answers without hesitation by asking questions that lead to more questions, that lead to opportunities to explore deeply and without limitation.

THEY ARE FEARLESS AND OPEN-MINDED.

They’re not afraid to make mistakes, to have integrity, and to be themselves.

THEY ARE KIND AND COMPASSIONATE.

They learn not only for their own good but for the good of others.

Marvel-Who? Once you get to know us, you’ll be glad you did.

2. OUR LOCATION KENT, CONNECTICUT

Yep, we really are located atop a mountain

INSPIRATION FOR MIND & SOUL we historical love it here).

Marvelwood is located (and amid the sites, renowned galleries, and arts venues of scenic Litchfield County.

We are two 3. OUR SERVICE hours from New York City, three and a half hours from Boston, and one and a half Community Service... hours from Hartford, Connecticut. Come Every.

Wednesday. tour our campus, meet ourSingle. community, and experience Marvelwood for yourself.

Our expansive 86-acre mountaintop 4. OUR KINDNESS campus affords sweeping westward views, breathtaking sunsets and starry skies.

Everyone here is a friend.

That’s right, we said everyone.

5. OUR MASCOT

THEY ARE TENACIOUS AND RESILIENT.

They take pride in giving their all. The result?

Fortitude for a lifetime of success.

Have you ever tried to mess with a Pterodactyl?

BE. EXPLORE. DISCOVER. GROW. ACHIEVE.

KENT, CONNECTICUT

Marvelwood is for anyone with a desire to be themselves, to explore their passions, to discover beyond their imagination, to grow beyond their expectations, and to achieve their own definition of exceptional.

INSPIRATION FOR MIND & SOUL Marvelwood is located amid the historical sites, renowned galleries, and arts venues of scenic Litchfield County. We are two hours from New York City, three and a half hours from Boston, and one and a half hours from Hartford, Connecticut. Come tour our campus, meet our community, and experience Marvelwood for yourself.

Our expansive 86-acre mountaintop campus affords sweeping westward views, breathtaking sunsets and starry skies.

AT MARVELWOOD INSPIRATION IS EVERYWHERE. DISCOVER WHAT INSPIRES YOU.

Visit To arrange a visit to campus, contact the Admission Office at 860-927-0047 ext 1011 or admission@marvelwood.org.

ADMISSION@MARVELWOOD.ORG

Apply Please apply online. If you cannot apply online, contact the Admission Office for a downloadable application.

MARVELWOOD.ORG/ADMISSION

4:1

“IDEAS” WINTERIM PROGRAM

STUDENT: FACULTY RATIO

GETTING REAL

INCLUSION, DIVERSITY & EQUITY ACTION SEMINARS

THE POWER OF BEING KNOWN

CASA REAL TALK FORUMS

Small classes and customized learning experiences are hallmarks of Marvelwood. Faculty are responsive to individual learning styles and creative in their approach to engaging and challenging their students.

CASA is a group of students and faculty committed to social justice.

In developing cultural and social awareness, CASA seeks to foster inclusivity, diversity, and equity at Marvelwood through knowledge and empowerment.

Each December, we take a break from the regular schedule for interdisciplinary seminars focusing on diversity and inclusion through education and action.

YOU CAN SUCCEED HERE BECAUSE YOU CAN BE YOU HERE. Come as you are or become who you want. Either way, we want you to just be you.

Our students experience the freedom to be who they are, and they love it. We have something special here—a culture of teens who demonstrate unwavering kindness, acceptance, forgiveness, and loyalty to one another. For our students, it’s simply life at Marvelwood. For the adults who witness it, it’s awe-inspiring.

A MARVELWOOD STUDENT THRIVES in a small, nurturing environment where they can own their experience, celebrate who they are, and grow into who they want to become.

BE.

SMALL IS SUPPORTIVE THE CLARK CENTER FOR LEARNING SUPPORT @ MARVELWOOD Marvelwood is dedicated to the belief that every student learns differently and that these differences are to be appreciated and accommodated. Our Learning Support program provides the tools to help students with learning challenges succeed academically, increase their self-confidence, and acquire strong learning and self-advocacy skills needed in college and beyond.

WHO BENEFITS FROM A SMALL SCHOOL EXPERIENCE? EVERYONE.

GETTING IT ‘WRITE’ EmPOWER SYSTEM EmPOWER, a highly visual, research-based system for fostering the development of students’ writing skills, is an intrinsic part of our academic program. Marvelwood teachers use EmPOWER to support students on many levels, including organizing and visualizing new information, taking notes, and planning writing assignments.

Developing and utilizing EmPOWER strategies helps to increase student independence and ownership of their writing and learning.

Some call our school small; we call it transformative. Our founders established Marvelwood as a small school for students who may not have thrived in a larger school setting.

It’s our size that allows us to create Marvelwood Magic.

It allows us to know our students—to really know their intricacies and interests—so that we may create individual approaches to their learning that will most deeply resonate, inspire, and engage. Our small school? It happens to make a very large impact on our students.

THE UNEXPECTED: “The last thing I expected to experience in high school was to feel like everyone in my school is my friend. This doesn’t mean we are all the same and that’s why we get along. We are actually all so different, but we all support one another in just that…being different. Maybe it’s because we are a small school? Maybe it’s just that we all found a school where people value being nice. Whatever it is, it’s a level of respect and kindness that I am so grateful to experience every day.” –Marvelwood Freshman

SCIENCE THE WAY IT SHOULD BE

LEGO ROBOTICS

GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY

INNOVATIVE & HANDS-ON

YOUR IMAGINATION IS THE LIMIT

Our year-round garden program focuses on the connection between the earth, society, and the food that sustains us. Our geodesic growing dome gives students the opportunity to experience the wonder of growing and the challenge of solving complex indoor gardening challenges. Produce from the garden is used in the dining hall and surplus crops are donated to the Kent Food Bank.

The Marvelwood science curriculum inspires students to explore their world.

Our Skiff Mountain campus is a vibrant classroom where students participate in real-world projects in partnership with local and global conservation organizations, such as the Kent Land Trust, UConn’s Natural Resources Conservation Academy, and the Center for Conservation Bioacoustics with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Using the Lego Robotics System, students are challenged to build increasingly complex and sophisticated creations. Computer software and cell phone apps are used to program and control robots, many of which are designed and built from scratch or modified from designs available on the web. Problem-solving through perseverance and trial and error is an important part of the process.

OUR GARDEN

WE CAN DO THAT. We are a traditional boarding school with non-traditional approaches to college-preparatory learning.

For us, teaching is personal. We know our students well, and we are skilled at intentionally directing (and sometimes redirecting) instruction that will connect with their unique skills and personalities. We have the flexibility to react to their needs, interests, and strengths in order to create exceptional learning experiences that empower and engage.

This flexibility means that everyone in our community—from students to faculty to administration—can experience the freedom of thought and expression that brings meaning to everything we do.

THIS IS NOT HIGH SCHOOL

BY THE BOOKS. At Marvelwood, we believe that learning is a lifelong journey of exploration and discovery. While traditional academics lean toward passive learning, Marvelwood academics are experiential, active, and hands-on. Our faculty thoughtfully and intentionally design a customized curriculum that engages students of varying skill sets and learning styles. We believe that it is not memorization, but rather understanding and inquiry, that will support our students throughout a lifetime of learning and discovery.

TAKE FLIGHT MAPS BANDING STATION @ MARVELWOOD Marvelwood is one of only three high schools in the nation to operate a MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship) banding station, documenting over 130 bird species. Student avian research has been instrumental in the National Audubon Society’s decision to designate our campus and neighboring Kent Land Trust property as part of an Important Bird Area.

EXPLORE.

PTERODACTYL PRIDE ATHLETICS @ MARVELWOOD Marvelwood students participate in a sport or afterschool activity each of the three terms of the academic year. There are seventeen teams in eleven different sports, including soccer, volleyball, cross country, basketball, wrestling, alpine skiing, lacrosse, baseball, softball, tennis, golf and ultimate Frisbee.

Our equestrian program is designed for the beginner to the most advanced rider in both English and Western disciplines.

ATHLETICS FOR EVERYONE: At Marvelwood, there is a place for everyone to participate—from the accomplished, record-breaking athlete to the player new to a sport. We see the most growth in our student-athletes when they learn to support and encourage one another, play as a team, and respect their opponents. We believe that how the game is played is as important as the outcome. As a result, our athletes are recognized by peer schools, coaches and referees for their incredible standards of conduct and camaraderie.

OPPORTUNITY DOESN’T KNOCK...

GETTING OUTSIDE OUTDOOR ADVENTURE TEAM

IT JUST ENTERS. We believe in opportunity without compromise. During a time when specialization is the norm, we choose to create instead a culture of balance that makes space for our students to explore their varied passions and be inspired by new ones. At Marvelwood, you don’t have to choose between being an athlete or an artist, between community service or chorus, between rock band or rock climbing. You can simply enjoy experiencing what inspires you.

For adventure-seekers, our Outdoor Adventure Program is an alternative to competitive sports that gives students the opportunity to learn about and explore all things out-of-doors. The OA team spends afternoons hiking on the many local trails, including the Appalachian Trail; canoeing on nearby ponds, lakes, and the Housatonic River; rock climbing on the well-known St. John’s Ledges; or practicing orienteering skills. Other activities may include mountain biking, raft-building, maple syrup production, and wilderness survival.

IT’S THE MOST POWERFUL TOOL YOU’LL NEED. Marvelwood students are encouraged to speak their minds, and they know that when they do, we will listen and engage. We believe that by creating a safe and supportive space for young people to express themselves, we are creating unique opportunities for them to discover just how much they are capable of achieving. We see it happen every day: that incredible moment in adolescence when self-awareness and self-confidence collide and an empowered young adult emerges.

THE MARVELWOOD PLAYERS is an active and inclusive theatre group. Performers, stage crew, and theatre technicians work together on two major productions each year. Both novices and theatre pros find a place in the program.

EXPRESS YOURSELF ARTS @ MARVELWOOD The Marvelwood Arts Program empowers all students to discover and foster their creativity by giving them the skills and tools to develop and explore their own personal methods of self-expression. Curricular and extracurricular options in studio art, music, theatre, photography, ceramics, and filmmaking challenge and encourage the creativity, technique and talents of our students.

NATIONALLY-RECOGNIZED FILM STUDIES & PHOTOGRAPHY Film Studies and Photography students have been recognized for their work in local and national contests. In Film Studies, students create and produce original films and documentaries, some of which have been showcased at national film festivals. The Photography program is designed to teach students how to use digital cameras, scanners, imaging software, printers, and computers to explore the artistic potential of imaging technology, including editing software like Adobe Photoshop.

ROUND SQUARE MEMBER GLOBAL COMPETENCE, CHARACTER & CONFIDENCE Marvelwood is a member of Round Square International, a network of 168 innovative schools in 40 countries across five continents.

Round Square schools share an approach to learning based on the Pillars of Round Square, six principles of holistic education. A Marvelwood delegation attends the annual Round Square International Conference, and students may participate in exchanges with member schools around the world.

YOU DON’T KNOW UNTIL YOU KNOW: “I literally had no idea how much of an impact my experience in Panama was going to have on me. There is nothing I could have ever learned in any class or any book that could replace experiencing another culture firsthand. My eyes are forever opened and I now know that it’s my life goal to study environmental science, to travel, and to continue expanding my mind.” -Marvelwood Senior

IT WILL TAKE YOU PLACES.

OPPORTUNITIES IN: ARGENTINA AUSTRALIA CANADA CHINA COLUMBIA FRANCE GERMANY

Marvelwood students are global citizens. This may be hard to believe with a campus situated in tranquil bliss atop a mountain—but it couldn’t be more accurate about who we are as a community. As a Round Square member school, we host student exchanges that foster a deep understanding and respect for other cultures. But this is just the beginning when it comes to global education at Marvelwood; our travel adventures include service-learning experiences that deeply influence our social consciousness and inspire a lifetime of awareness and action.

PANAMA TRIP A UNIQUE RESEARCH COLLABORATION Marvelwood partners with Conservation through Research Education and Action (CREA), a Panamanian NGO, at the Cocobolo Nature Reserve and sponsors an annual research and service trip to Panama.

INDIA INDONESIA JAPAN NEW ZEALAND PANAMA PERU SOUTH AFRICA SWITZERLAND UNITED KINGDOM

MODELING PEACE PEER MEDIATION Students Students learnlearn to mediate to mediate conflict conflict between their between peers, without their peers, faculty without presence, faculty in our Peer presence, Mediation in the program Peer Mediation that borrows program heavily from that Quaker borrows beliefs. heavily In weekly from Quaker yearlong training beliefs. sessions, In weekly, they yearlong study the training importance ofsessions, mediation they anddiscuss examine what what peace peace is is and andwhy whyit’s it can difficult be difficult to achieve to achieve. and the importance of mediation.

LOOK AT ME NOW: “No one at my old school would ever believe who I am now. Marvelwood is the first school I have ever attended where I feel comfortable speaking up and taking my turn to lead. The only way I can think of to describe it is: life-changing. It’s unreal to be at a school like this where there is so little judgment and so much support. My only wish is that I had found it sooner.” -Marvelwood First-Year Sophomore

THE WORLD NEEDS LEADERS LIKE MARVELWOOD LEADERS. Marvelwood students understand that strong leaders empower others, effective leaders show compassion, and wise leaders listen. This is not something we teach.

We don’t “make” leaders here. Instead, Marvelwood students discover their own path to leadership by following our example and their passions. And while we understand that not every path will be the same, we believe that every young person has within them the unique potential to lead. We are here to guide students along the way, but it’s ultimately their own discovery of tolerance, empathy, and purpose that directs their journey.

LEADING THE WAY STUDENT STUDENT PREFECTS LEADERS Student The leadership Prefect Program at Marvelwood is a major comes in many component forms andofprovides student all leadership studentsat with the Marvelwood. opportunityDorm to affect Prefects change areand expected develop to lifelong be role advocacy models to skills. their Leadership peers, in good roles include standing student with government the Deans’ and representative, Academic dormitory offices,prefect, and involved peer mediator, memberscommunity of the School service community. leader, and admission Training and toursupport guide. continue throughout the year.

GROW.

COMMUNITY SERVICE EVERY SINGLE WEDNESDAY How much can get done when the entire campus community devotes every Wednesday morning to service projects? A lot! On- and off-campus placements include the Marvelwood blueberry orchard, the Marvelwood Recycling Program, nature preserves and parks, local farms, nursery schools, and animal shelters. And our community doesn’t just give back on Wednesdays; factor in the Princess Tea Party to benefit the MakeA-Wish Foundation of Connecticut, preparing and serving lunch at the Town of Kent’s Senior Center once a month, the Senior Service Trip to Washington, D.C. in May, annual Earth Day activities as well as the occasional request to help out a neighbor or lend a hand at an event, and it’s quite substantial. But Marvelwood’s longtime dedication to community service is not about the number of hours, significant as they are; it’s about the commitment to help, to serve, and to make a difference. What counts is the time spent giving of one’s self to make things better for someone or something else.

WE HAVE HEART. Honesty, respect, responsibility, and service are more than nice ideas here. They’re living, breathing commitments that influence every day at Marvelwood. In fact, we’re continually putting these values to use. For us, community service isn’t an afterthought; it’s dedicated weekly time for each student to volunteer through a yearlong commitment to a local cause. Not only is this good for our community, it’s good for our students. At Marvelwood, awareness, compassion, and generosity become a natural way of life that will forever be a part of who our students are.

SERVICE ON A DEEPER LEVEL: “My community service experience has added yet another layer to what I like to call my ‘Marvelwood Family.’ Because I volunteered with the same program for all four years, and because I was able to be there every single Wednesday, it really became like another home for me. I’ve learned that there is a deeper level to service when you have the opportunity to connect with those who you are serving. Am I going to take this understanding with me in life? You better believe it.” -Marvelwood Senior

THE STRENGTH OF IMMERSIVE LEARNING ESL PROGRAM Marvelwood’s three-level ESL program focuses on developing the non-native English speaker’s oral and written communication skills, which are essential to their successful integration into both the academic realm and life on a boarding school campus. Our program facilitates appropriate placement for students with different degrees of English proficiency in small classes where individual learning styles, strengths, and weaknesses are recognized and addressed.

CHALLENGE + SUPPORT = ACHIEVEMENT: “Before I came here, someone actually told me that Marvelwood wasn’t going to be academically challenging enough for me. That couldn’t be further from the truth! I am challenged every day. My teachers are constantly pushing me beyond my comfort zone, but they do it with a ton of support. It makes me feel like I can achieve just about anything.” -Marvelwood Junior

GREAT EXPECTATIONS MAKE FOR GREATER ACHIEVEMENTS. While Marvelwood provides a truly accepting and supportive environment, we also expect our kids to rise to the challenges that will help them reach their potential.

Our teachers deeply understand their students’ strengths and weaknesses. And because our teachers know what makes each child tick, they are able to raise the bar just enough to inspire growth. The result? Confident, driven learners who want to achieve more.

YOUR FOCUS JUNIOR CAPSTONE PROJECT The Capstone Experience is an opportunity for juniors to structure their own learning and explore an area of personal interest. Students work with a faculty mentor on a self-designed project and do much of the work independently.

Through the process, they develop and hone many crucial skills such as creativity, managing ambiguity, overcoming obstacles, persistence, time management, and prioritization.

ACHIEVE.

WOW. JUST WOW. “Of course I was thrilled with my daughter’s college acceptances, but what impressed me most was the way she navigated the entire process. While she was both informed and level-headed in her decision-making, it was the confidence with which she presented herself that was the most astonishing. It was clear that she knew who she was and what she wanted and she expressed this with such eloquence and passion. This was the difference Marvelwood made, and we are forever grateful for her experience.” -Marvelwood Parent

WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE? IT LOOKS LIKE MARVELWOOD.

RECENT COLLEGE MATRICULATIONS: AMERICAN UNIVERSITY BENNINGTON COLLEGE BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY BOSTON UNIVERSITY BOWDOIN COLLEGE CONNECTICUT COLLEGE DICKINSON COLLEGE DREXEL UNIVERSITY

Marvelwood students want to achieve. And because they are surrounded by peers with a matched level of grit and teachers with an unfathomable commitment to their success, they do.

The transformations we see from the time our students arrive to when they graduate are nothing less than astounding. The source of this success? Resilience. What fuels future success?

Resilience. Our students graduate with enduring courage, compassion, and confidence for their futures ahead.

ELON UNIVERSITY HIGH POINT UNIVERSITY LYNN UNIVERSITY MARIST COLLEGE MUHLENBERG COLLEGE NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY PURDUE UNIVERSITY RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY RUTGERS UNIVERSITY SAVANNAH COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN SKIDMORE COLLEGE ST. LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY THE NEW SCHOOL THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA TRINITY COLLEGE

PREPARING FOR YOUR FUTURE LEADING THE WAY COUNSELING STUDENTCOLLEGE PREFECTS Marvelwood’s college counselors The Prefect Program is a majorguide students and parents through the college search process utilizing Naviance technology component of student leadership at to help students that best match their interests Marvelwood.

Dorm identify Prefectsschools are expected andto where willinlikely to beand rolegoals models theirthey peers, goodhave a successful and positive experience.

And while 100% of our students are accepted standing with the Deans’ and Academic by two-and to four-year or of universities, students interested offices, involvedcolleges members the in experiencing gap yearand are support assisted in creating meaningful School community.a Training and productive plans their time before college. continue throughout thefor year.

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, DAVIS UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN, MADISON WASHINGTON COLLEGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY OF ST. LOUIS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY

WEEKENDS ARE FOR FUN At Marvelwood, we believe your free time is just as important as your academics. Oncampus activities and off-campus trips are fun and engaging. From firepits and smores, outdoor movies, and bingo on campus to go-karting, paintball, and day trips to New York City, there’s always something to do and someone to do it with.

THE ADVISOR CONNECTION YOUR MARVELWOOD FAMILY Every student has a faculty advisor with whom they meet and share meals each week. Advisors oversee and monitor their advisees’ progress and are in regular communication with parents. The advisor program is carefully structured, and feedback from faculty, parents, and the students themselves ensures the right fit between students and advisors.

WHAT’S MARVELWOOD REALLY LIKE? IT’S, WELL...

Real people. Real relationships. Real learning. There are no fronts or airs here. Instead, we offer a welcoming embrace. We are a community of genuine, considerate individuals who share a deep appreciation for one another’s diverse backgrounds and experiences. We value opportunities to learn from one another through community conversations, community support, and community celebrations. We understand that our differences don’t define us and that our appreciation for one another unites us. That is at the heart of who we are.

HOME AWAY FROM HOME: Whether boarding or day, residential life is an important part of every student’s experience.

Friendships are forged and differences are celebrated in a supportive, nurturing environment where students study, socialize, and enjoy activities under the close supervision of caring, involved, and accessible faculty. Ethical decisionmaking, independent living and thinking, teamwork, dealing with peer pressure, and self-awareness are key components of the program.

BE INSPIRED.

5 FUN THINGS ABOUT MARVELWOOD: 1. OUR NAME A MARVELWOOD STUDENT IS DRIVEN.

They seek answers without hesitation by asking questions that lead to more questions, that lead to opportunities to explore deeply and without limitation.

THEY ARE FEARLESS AND OPEN-MINDED.

They’re not afraid to make mistakes, to have integrity, and to be themselves.

THEY ARE KIND AND COMPASSIONATE.

They learn not only for their own good but for the good of others.

Marvel-Who? Once you get to know us, you’ll be glad you did.

2. OUR LOCATION KENT, CONNECTICUT

Yep, we really are located atop a mountain

INSPIRATION FOR MIND & SOUL we historical love it here).

Marvelwood is located (and amid the sites, renowned galleries, and arts venues of scenic Litchfield County.

We are two 3. OUR SERVICE hours from New York City, three and a half hours from Boston, and one and a half Community Service... hours from Hartford, Connecticut. Come Every.

Wednesday. tour our campus, meet ourSingle. community, and experience Marvelwood for yourself.

Our expansive 86-acre mountaintop 4. OUR KINDNESS campus affords sweeping westward views, breathtaking sunsets and starry skies.

Everyone here is a friend.

That’s right, we said everyone.

5. OUR MASCOT

THEY ARE TENACIOUS AND RESILIENT.

They take pride in giving their all. The result?

Fortitude for a lifetime of success.

Have you ever tried to mess with a Pterodactyl?

BE INSPIRED.

BE. EXPLORE. DISCOVER. GROW. ACHIEVE.

KENT, CONNECTICUT

Marvelwood is for anyone with a desire to be themselves, to explore their passions, to discover beyond their imagination, to grow beyond their expectations, and to achieve their own definition of exceptional.

INSPIRATION FOR MIND & SOUL Marvelwood is located amid the historical sites, renowned galleries, and arts venues of scenic Litchfield County. We are two hours from New York City, three and a half hours from Boston, and one and a half hours from Hartford, Connecticut. Come tour our campus, meet our community, and experience Marvelwood for yourself.

Our expansive 86-acre mountaintop campus affords sweeping westward views, breathtaking sunsets and starry skies.

AT MARVELWOOD INSPIRATION IS EVERYWHERE. DISCOVER WHAT INSPIRES YOU.

Visit To arrange a visit to campus, contact the Admission Office at 860-927-0047 ext 1011 or admission@marvelwood.org.

ADMISSION@MARVELWOOD.ORG

Apply Please apply online. If you cannot apply online, contact the Admission Office for a downloadable application.

MARVELWOOD.ORG/ADMISSION

.ORG

476 Skiff Mountain Road Kent, Connecticut 06757 (860) 927-0047 A day and boarding school for grades 9-12 & PG.