A School In Transition

The Leelanau School, the Glen Arbor-based college-prep boarding school, has been educating students for 87 years. But 2016 might just be one of its most pivotal years yet. From multiple leadership changes to record-low enrollment, 2016 looks to be a watershed year for the school –  and one where the turnaround begins, say its leaders.

At the top, Headmaster Matt Ralston will leave at the end of the school year after seven years and a national search for the school’s next leader will begin soon. The makeup of the school’s board of trustees has transformed  – trimmed down to five members. And no more is the board comprised primarily of alumni and those with close ties to the school; instead it includes two individuals with financial and business backgrounds previous boards were missing.

What does it need now? More students on the 42-acre campus that dead ends at Lake Michigan.

Sending kids away
“Boarding schools in the Midwest are not really a thing,” says Director of Advancement Julie Povolo. “There are only three in Michigan, and two are located here,” she adds, referencing Interlochen Arts Academy.

The idea of “sending kids away to school” has not been a part of the educational experience for many families in this part of the country as opposed to the east coast, explains Headmaster Ralston. “Boarding schools are a bit of an odd duck here, but going to a boarding school is just another option for education,” he says.

Today, the typical Leelanau School student is “quite bright,” says Povolo, but also someone who might not have experienced success in a traditional classroom because of learning differences.

“Maybe they have ADHD and it is not well managed, for example,” she says. “Here, we learn how they learn best and we cater to that. With an average of six students in a class, there is no “falling through the cracks,” she adds.

Higher education is also an expectation. “One hundred percent of our students go to college,” she adds.

However, both Ralston and Povolo acknowledge the school struggled in the past with an identity crisis. After it moved away from its Christian Science roots from the 1960s, there was a time in more recent history when the school was admitting students who were perhaps better suited to a therapeutic school environment. Faculty and staff were not equipped to meet those students’ needs and its presence in both the independent school community and the local community suffered.

"We needed to figure out who our clientele is…that was not our best niche," Povolo adds.

Enrollment at all-time low
Leaders also hope the school has bottomed out with enrollment. Enrollment at boarding schools nationally is down, but Leelanau School has been hit hard. Forty-two students attend the school this year, the lowest count ever. Of those, 38 are full-time boarders, two are five-day boarders and two are day students. Pavolo says the school's enrollment "sweet spot" is 70. Based on applications for next year, including eight local students, school leaders are projecting enrollment growth, with totals in the 50s, she adds.

Of course, cost is a major factor when considering a boarding school – annual tuition is $61,350 for full-time boarders. “We’re definitely catering to a somewhat affluent crowd,” says Povolo. The tuition is half that for day students. Twenty percent of the student body receives financial aid, with the average award between $20,000 and $25,000.

Debt down, donations up
Concurrent with the enrollment downturn, the school had fallen into a debt situation “that was higher than what was safe for us,” says Povolo.

Through re-financing with a local bank and a commitment to “putting business practices in place,” according to Ralston, that situation has turned around. And financial gifts are on the rise – from raising $200,000 annually to $2 million – and the school now has an endowment of $1 million thanks in large part to a parent of a former student. It's all part of an 18-month, $4.7 million fundraising campaign.

“That’s a big part of how we’ve stayed open,” she says. “Our goals now are to get enrollment up and raise money for scholarships.”

Part of the Community
The relationship between the private school and the surrounding Glen Arbor community has also presented challenges over the years, something Ralston says he's been working on.

“I believe we have improved our relationship with our neighbors,” says Ralston. “Much of that was made possible by the quality of students attending today. They want to be here. People know why a kid comes here now and that’s huge.”

Members of the community are now also coming onto campus, using parts of the facility for recreational pursuits such as pickleball and tennis.

“That’s good for both the students and the community…to see each other and to get to know one another,” says Ralston.