Conserve School: Difference between revisions
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Conserve School is an independent, college-preparatory boarding high school for students who share an interest and concern for the environment. The challenging curriculum combines traditional subjects with environmental science, technology, and outdoor recreation, preparing all students to become ethical and environmentally sensitive leaders and stewards within their career choice. |
'''Conserve School''' is an independent, college-preparatory boarding high school for students who share an interest and concern for the environment. The challenging curriculum combines traditional subjects with environmental science, technology, and outdoor recreation, preparing all students to become ethical and environmentally sensitive leaders and stewards within their career choice. |
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Located on 1,200 Audubon-recognized forested acres in [[Land O' Lakes, Wisconsin]], the Conserve School campus has over 20 miles of trails and eight lakes that are used for both academic and recreational activities. |
Located on 1,200 Audubon-recognized forested acres in [[Land O' Lakes, Wisconsin]], the Conserve School campus has over 20 miles of trails and eight lakes that are used for both academic and recreational activities. |
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Revision as of 11:44, 10 October 2008
| Conserve School | |
|---|---|
| File:Conservelogoflag.png The Conserve School logo on an on-campus flag. | |
| Location | |
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| , | |
| Information | |
| Type | Private, Boarding |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Nonsectarian |
| Established | 2002 |
| Headmaster | Stefan Anderson |
| Faculty | 33 |
| Enrollment | 149 [1] |
| Average class size | 15 |
| Student to teacher ratio | 1:7 [1] |
| Campus | 1,200 acres (5 km2) [1] 9 buildings |
| Color(s) | Black and Gold |
| Athletics | 79% of student body |
| Athletics conference | Northern Lakes conference |
| Mascot | No mascot |
| Website | http://www.conserveschool.org/ |
Conserve School is an independent, college-preparatory boarding high school for students who share an interest and concern for the environment. The challenging curriculum combines traditional subjects with environmental science, technology, and outdoor recreation, preparing all students to become ethical and environmentally sensitive leaders and stewards within their career choice.
Located on 1,200 Audubon-recognized forested acres in Land O' Lakes, Wisconsin, the Conserve School campus has over 20 miles of trails and eight lakes that are used for both academic and recreational activities.
History
Conserve School was founded by the late James R. Lowenstine, who had a vision to establish a school on his 1,200-acre (5 km2) northern Wisconsin estate. Upon his passing in 1996, executives of Central Steel and Wire Company in Chicago began laying plans for the school. Construction and planning was completed in 2002 and in August 2002, Conserve School opened its doors to its first 79 students[2]. Conserve School's target enrollment is 150 students, which it reached this target with the 2008-09 school year.
Academics
Conserve School academics blend challenging college-preparatory coursework with an interdisciplinary emphasis on environment, ethics, and innovation. Many classes provide opportuinities for active, hands-on outdoor learning.
Winterim
Conserve School offers a three-week interim session that encourages innovative, hands-on learning. It is an opportunity for students and teachers to take a break from regular academic routines in order to intensively explore areas of interest. Classes may involve trips to other states or countries, special investigations into areas related to the school's emphasis on environment, ethics and innovation, or an intensive study on a fine arts topic.
Student Life
Residential life is central to Conserve School. All students live on campus and the house system is an integral part of community life. Students live on wings of 10 students; each has a single room, sharing a bathroom with one other student. Each wing has a central lounge, kitchenette, and fireplace. There are four wings in each house with four faculty apartments attached. Faculty wing advisors also serve as student advisors and are available for academic, personal, and family support throughout the year. Weekly wing meetings, family-style dinners, and house activities help to ensure that everyone is valued and included in the residential life of the school.
Students play an active role in maintaining and improving the Conserve School community. Seniors provide leadership as Prefects in the residential houses and community work teams; underclassmen have opportunities to serve on the Community Council and play a leadership role in other activities and clubs on campus. All students and faculty members work together on Community Work Teams to contribute to the daily running of the school and realize the school goals of community, conservation, and collaboration.
Technology
Students practice innovation, a special focus area at Conserve School, through their day-to-day use of the school’s modern electronic equipment; through their participation in everyday, technology-enhanced sustainable practices; and through academic contests and research projects that promote the use of new, environmentally friendly technologies. Staff and students study water purification processes in the school’s unique “Living Machine” wastewater treatment system. They explore composting methods suited to the Northwoods, and they collect and analyze data on energy use on-campus. They also study the benefits of renewable energy sources such as their photovoltaic research facility.
Computers
Each student and staff member is issued a laptop computer with Windows XP. Students are prohibited from bringing their own computer; this is for many reasons, but mainly to prevent students from having an unfair advantage in a classroom setting due to their personal computer.
Campus
Conserve School’s 1,200-acre wilderness campus in the heart of the Wisconsin Northwoods is the ideal setting for Conserve School’s environmentally focused curriculum. Recognized as an Audubon International Signature Sanctuary, the campus includes eight lakes and 22 miles of wooded trails for hiking, biking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. There is a wide variety of vegetative areas including forest, prairie, bog, stream, and lake, and is adjacent to the Sylvania National Wilderness area and its additional 18,000 acres of pristine forests, lakes, and streams.
The Gardens: Conserve School has an organic garden for students and staff, which includes the plants necessary to support a wide variety of butterflies. Conserve School also has an apple orchard that is part of on-going research by the Advanced Placement Environmental Science class.
The Trails: The trails at Conserve School provide students with access to a multitude of wildlife habitats. Some students participate in trail maintenance, where they learn how to build sustainable trails for both hiking and mountain biking. The Conserve School staff received training from the International Mountain Biking Association on how to build sustainable mountain bike trails.
The Lakes: The lakes are monitored each year as part of long-term water quality research. As part of a community service effort, students also work with local land owners to monitor boats for invasive species. The lakes also provide the opportunity for outdoor recreation including fishing, boating, and swimming.
LAB
The James R. Lowenstine Academic Building, or the LAB, is the primary building for traditional classes. The building's areas include:
- "The Gathering Space" (a lobby used by students between and after classes)
- A 500-seat auditorium
- Library
- 22 Classrooms
- Offices for teaching/staff members
- 2 Staff Lounges
Almost every classroom in the LAB is equipped with a serial-based SMART Board and projector. The LAB is covered in an 802.11g wireless network.
LRC
The Lowenwood Recreation Center (LRC) is the school's athletic complex. The LRC holds a gymnasium, climbing wall, two racquetball courts, and a weight room. Overlooking Big Donahue Lake, the LRC provides access to the waterfront in warm weather and cross-country trails during winter.
Legal Challenges
On November 14, 2005, a lawsuit was filed against Conserve School by the Culver Educational Foundation, parent of Culver Military Academy and Culver Girls Academy in northern Indiana. The suit alleges a breach of fiduciary duties on the part of Conserve School's trustees on the basis that the construction and continued operation of Conserve School is financially unsustainable. Culver is a contingent beneficiary of the trust established by Lowenstine, and would stand to inherit nearly all of the trust assets should the operation of Conserve School be declared financially impractical. The case, 05-cv-06480, is being heard by Judge Virginia M. Kendall of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
On May 25, 2007, at the request of Culver, the lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice, with all parties to bear their own costs and attorney's fees.