Some of you might be considering your child’s future school experience in these coming months. If private school is a possibility, boarding or non-boarding, allow us to share our tour of The Marvelwood School (9-12) set atop beautiful Skiff Mountain in Kent.
The Marvelwood School highlights!
The Marvelwood School was founded in 1956 and offers boarding and non-boarding education for grades 9-12. The average class size is 8-12!
Weekly community service – students dedicate weekly time to volunteer for a yearlong commitment with a local cause.
Every Wednesday, you’ll find all students and most faculty working at placement throughout Litchfield County at nursing homes, nursery schools, local farms, KVFD, animal shelters, etc.
Marvelwood is a part of Round Square – an association of 200+ schools around the world that share a hands-on, service-based, holistic approach to learning.
Students at Round Square schools have the opportunity to participate in yearly conferences (this year was supposed to be in Australia but, sadly, had to be canceled), and do school exchanges around the world. They also sponsor international service projects.
International community service includes a yearly trip to Panama.
And to the Cocobolo Nature Reserve for scientific field research and community outreach.
They are one of the very few schools in the States with a robust ornithology program with a focus on environmental conservation…
…And a licensed bird bander on staff (head of the science department)!
Currently, student groups are working on various projects in conjunction with the Kent Land Trust, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, UConn’s Natural Resources Conservation Academy, Purple Martin conservation, and the Eversource Land Trust, among others.
And more community service. They have a yearly Princess Tea party to raise money for Make a Wish CT.
And a popular open mic night series called Music on the Mountain.
Now in its 8th year, Marvelwood’s Open Mic series sets five dates throughout the 2019-2020 school year where they open the mic to the public to perform and/or just enjoy!
With a total enrollment of 110 students, teaching is personal.
Teachers get to know their students well and can respond to their needs, interests, and strengths. Marvelwood academics are experiential, active, and hands-on, making for a well-rounded, empowering education.
Photo by The Marvelwood School 
Marvelwood has a partnership with Mount Snow Academy
This is a new program for students who are interested in spending the winter term skiing/ snowboarding/ freeskiing with elite coaching and world-class training programs and facilities.
Fun fact: Successful alum include Burton Snowboards‘ Jake Burton Carpenter ’72.
They have a magical garden and growing dome.
Yep, this idyllic school even has a year-round garden program that focuses on the connection between the earth, society, and the food that sustains us.
Please let us relive our young learning years here!
The cool (actually really humid – we went inside) geodesic growing dome gives students the opportunity to experience the joy of growing things! Produce from the garden is used in the dining hall, and surplus crops are donated to the Kent Food Bank.
Students work in the garden and growing dome on a daily basis throughout the year as part of their weekly community service program.
Sports
Check it out; they have 11 different sports, including soccer, volleyball, cross country, basketball, wrestling, alpine skiing, lacrosse, baseball, softball, tennis, golf, and ultimate frisbee. Plus non-competitive athletic options in the Outdoor Adventure Program, which includes mountain biking, hiking, recreational skiing/snowboarding, rock climbing, and canoeing.
Photo by Marvelwood School
Do you want to try the Marvelwood experience for free?
The Marvelwood School is currently offering free summer sessions (summer 2020) to high school students and recent high school grads for Marvelwood and Non-Marvelwood students!
Pics: Lora (unless noted as provided by The Marvelwood School)
Words: Bev (information provided by The Marvelwood School)
It is a wonderful family atmosphere on top of the mountain. I could not be more pleased that my child is a student there.
I have two alumni in my house, both doing great at competitive colleges. They were well prepared and had unmatched leadership opportunities by being in a small high school.
Great write-up and photos! I think you’ve captured some of what makes this school outstanding. Our daughter’s a student there, and we’re grateful to be part of this amazing community. Excellent academics and arts, great faculty and staff, in a supportive atmosphere where every student is “known” and encouraged to follow their interests and maybe find new ones they never imagined. The ornithology program, for example, has given our daughter an extraordinary chance to learn more about what was at first more of a side interest—now she’s deeply fascinated by study of birds and nature, had a life-changing opportunity to continue that study on a school trip to Panama, and is considering a career path in this direction.