Private Day & Boarding School in New York State

North Country School:
Located in Lake Placid, Essex County, New York, North Country School is a junior co-educational boarding and day school offering a traditional curriculum for children in grades 4-9.

North Country School strives to create a community that gives children the self-confidence, knowledge, skills, and values to lead satisfying and productive lives while contributing to their world.

Our Values:
- We believe that teaching and learning are most successful when intellectual activity is linked with practical experience.
- We are committed to sustaining a diverse and nurturing community that supports individual growth and creativity, develops resilience, and promotes social responsibility
- We are committed to simple and sustainable living, making responsible choices about our use of resources.
- We believe that children become confident and resourceful individuals when they try new experiences and cultivate their skills toward mastery, with the guidance of caring adults.

- We offer full boarding (including weekends) and 5-day boarding. North Country School has no dormitories. Instead, groups of no more than 12 children live in houses under the supervision of caring faculty houseparents, some of whom have families of their own.

- Each student has a roommate of the same gender and age, but each house group typically includes boys and girls in different grades from various backgrounds, cultures, and religions.

- Seen as one of the great strengths of the program, the resulting mix of students resembles different-aged siblings and helps each house become a true home away from home—a place of safety, where every child belongs. Day students are assigned to houses, so they, too, can share in the intimacy of the house group.

- Houses typically come alive in the evenings after dinner, when younger students begin most weekday nights with a half-hour free reading period. Homework then takes center stage, with houseparents helping students with assignments. After eighth and ninth graders return from study hall in the main building, students fill the remainder of their evening with quiet games, conversation, listening to music, phone calls home, and showers.

- Bedtimes vary according to age and grade. The exception to the weekday routine is Home Night every Wednesday, when house groups cook and eat supper together at home, then enjoy special activities like a campfire and s’mores or a trip to town for ice cream or a movie.

- Full boarding (including weekends) and 5-day boarding
- Day Programs for boys and girls grades 4-9
- Junior School
- Arts Program
- Secondary School Placement Program
- Learning Lab for academic support
- English as a Second Language for international students

Extra-curricular Activities:
Taking full advantage of our spectacular mountain setting, the Outdoor Program at North Country School ranges from a walk in the woods with a sketchpad to ambitious multi-day hiking, climbing, or canoeing expeditions.

The program encompasses out-times, weekend trips, on and off-campus overnights, and longer adventures to far-off destinations—all of which encourage students to take risks, acquire new skills, and gain in confidence, resilience, and resourcefulness. All gear (except personal clothing) is provided by School.