North Country School (Lake Placid, New York)

Locations

Located in the Adirondacks in Lake Placid, NY, we are a co-ed boarding and day school for children in grades 4-9. Our 200-acre campus features a working farm, organic garden, and alpine wilderness that provide hands-on opportunities for learning, work, and growth.

Also see our summer programme: Camp Treetops

Our students come from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and countries—and they are known well by the dedicated, multi-talented adults who teach, live with, and care for them. Our unique programming—extensive offerings in studio and performing arts, daily work jobs, family-style residential houses, and outdoor activities from horseback riding to ice climbing—provides a variety of venues through which every child can find success.

Unlike other New York boarding Schools, North Country School offers an environment where students learn, live and work in the natural setting of the Adirondack mountains, performing daily chores on a real farm, with real animals (North Country School is also a boarding school with horses!). This unique setting helps teach our students the importance of sustainability and environmental responsibility. More than just an environmental education school, North Country School offers an environment perfectly suited for creating a sense of community and belonging.

The world is a diverse place and North country School is no different. With students spanning the spectrum of ethnic, socioeconomic, geographical, and racial differences, this New York boarding school offers a truly rewarding and enlightening experience to students. Adding to our students' rich experience is the unbeatable student/teacher ratio of 3:1, better than other New York Boarding schools and more than 8 times better than public schools.

Horse Riding at North Country School
At North Country School, we believe strongly that being a boarding school with horses must involve more than just developing riding skills. In addition to the required weekly English riding lessons in fall and spring, children learn the basics of horse care at barn chores. This allows students to connect with the horses and learn to balance enjoyment with responsibility. Students ride horses in our two riding rings, on North Country School’s own trails, and at a nearby farm, where we have the use of another barn, pastures, and trails that lead into the backwoods.

Environmental Education School
North Country School's 200-acre property surrounded by mountain wilderness in the heart of the six-million-acre Adirondack Park, allow us to be a true environmental education school. Our core values support environmental education in our school by including a commitment to simple and sustainable living and to responsible decision making regarding natural resources.

More information through StudyUnitedStates EU <- click for e-mail

Boarding School with Horses
North Country School is more than just a boarding school with horses; riding is a required activity. Our goal is not to create professional equestrians (though many students have gone on to lifelong enjoyment of the sport). Rather, we believe that learning to manage a horse many times larger than oneself — from both the saddle and the ground — is an unparalleled opportunity for children to learn patience and self-control, and to find confidence and the joy of real accomplishment.

Study at North Country School Of the many things we are to children, we are first an academic school. Our traditional core curriculum, enriched by hands-on projects and activities, focuses on the acquisition of solid academic skills. Small classes allow for attention and instruction that challenge each child according to his or her ability. We have high expectations for students.

The arts is an area of exceptional strength, reflecting our longstanding belief in the importance for children of personal expression. We also offer an ESL program for international students, robust library and computer resources, and a Learning Lab for academic support.

Our curriculum conforms to national standards. We are deliberate in helping students develop a solid base of skills and coursework that will be transferable to their next school. The organization of the curriculum varies according to grade level. Students in 4th, 5th, and 6th grades meet in homerooms and are taught by a team of two teachers. The academic program in 7th, 8th, and 9th grades is departmentalized, with core subjects meeting five times weekly.

Art Boarding School “Art every day” are words we live by at North Country School. A true art boarding school, we have an unusually large cadre of arts teachers and an impressive array of course listings for a school our size. All students have at least one art class every day, with younger students rotating through core arts classes in music, theatre, dance, painting and drawing, ceramics, photography, weaving, and woodshop.

TUITION FEE 2024 - 2025
US$ 84,500 full year tuition fee while boarding
US$   9,600 full year ESL support
US$   2,400 international student insurance

All North Country School students learn to ski or snowboard and are expected to provide their own gear. 

Boarding Student Tuition includes:

  • Room and board
  • Weekend activities
  • Laundry and linen service
  • All telephone service
  • On-campus nurse
  • Books, computer needs, and arts supplies
  • Transportation and tickets for program-based trips
  • Ski/snowboard program tickets and instruction
  • Specialized outdoor gear
  • Horseback riding and music lessons


Tuition Payment Options: The School offers several payment options, including a monthly payment plan.