Narrowing Your List

You’ll find helpful tools and resources to aid in narrowing your list down to the best schools that meet your requirements. Determine the benefits of Quaker education, learn how girls benefit from single sex education and get 5 reasons to start your search early.

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Nurturing Futures: A Journey through Boarding at Haut-Lac School in Switzerland

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Nurturing Futures: A Journey through Boarding at Haut-Lac School in Switzerland
Nestled in the hills overlooking Lake Geneva in the French-speaking part of Switzerland lies an educational gem that embodies a unique blend of academic excellence, cultural richness and a profound sense of community. Founded over 30 years ago, Haut-Lac International Bilingual Day and Boarding School is now home to both 600 day students and a maximum of 30 boarders from around the world.

Read on to find out more about the distinctive boutique boarding experience at this family-oriented school, from its calming surroundings to the warmth of its community and the excellence of its education.

An Enchanting Location

Forget the hustle and bustle of city centers. Haut-Lac's 5-star location at the heart of the Swiss Riviera treats staff and students to stunning views over Lake Geneva and the Alps beyond.

If you ever wondered why Charlie Chaplin and Henri Nestlé chose this scenic area as their base, just step out onto our secondary campus and boarding house terraces, and you’ll have your answer.

The school's proximity to the lake and mountains offers both an inspiring backdrop for learning and a unique opportunity for students to connect with the natural world. Outdoor lessons, Winter season ski outings, and paddle-boarding or hiking weekends with the boarders are a few of the many ways Haut-Lac uses the region's rich cultural heritage to create a stimulating environment that nurtures curiosity and a global perspective.

Nested in the heart of the Swiss Riviera

Nested in the heart of the Swiss Riviera

Studying at Haut-Lac

As an IB World School accredited by the Council of International Schools, Haut-Lac’s commitment to quality is second only to its passion for nurturing the potential in each student and fostering a lifelong love of learning.

It’s four secondary academic curricula, namely the IB Middle Years Programme (IBMYP), IB Diploma Programme (IBDP), IB Career-Related Programme

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What is Progressive Education?

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What is Progressive Education?
The promise of progressive education is as the students come to the solution, they’re active, they’re engaged, they’re motivated, and they’re learning. Most progressive schools encourage students to explore other areas of their development where young people find focus or uncover the contentment of stillness. It is about learning how to think, not what to think.

Picture your ideal classroom. What do you see? A line of desks, concentrated students diligently solving math problems? Or do you envision something different?

Perhaps you picture a classroom electric with energy. Small groups of students stand at whiteboards around the classroom, debating, arguing, and trying to figure out the best approach to a difficult math problem. A teacher circulates, asking questions and making observations. And suddenly, a flash of celebration, as the students come to the solution. They’re active; they’re engaged; they’re motivated. And they’re learning.

This is the promise of progressive education.

What is Progressive Education?

Arising out of the ideas of John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the progressive educational movement focuses on the process of learning over the rote memorization of facts. Beginning in the 19th century, progressive educators such as John Dewey, Rudolf Steiner, and Maria Montessori began to develop a philosophy of education that became progressive education as we know it today.

A true definition of progressive education is admittedly difficult to pin down – the field is broad and contains many schools of thought. However, there are several values that are shared by the progressive education community.

Attending to the Whole Child

Progressive educators are concerned with the holistic development of the child. Intellectual and academic growth is but one part of the picture in progressive education – the social, emotional, moral, artistic, athletic, and even athletic evolution of the child are equally considered.

Progressive schools offer a

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JROTC or Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps

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JROTC or Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps
There are 17 military high schools in the United Schools. JROTC forms the backbone of the military training component at these schools. Here's what's involved.

The JROTC, or Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps, is an integral part of military high schools in the United States. While my daughters attended non-military boarding schools, my eldest daughter was enrolled in the ROTC program at MIT while she was at Harvard. I was very impressed at how the blend of military training and first-rate academics played out then and in her later life. Consequently, as I scanned the seventeen military schools' websites we have on Boarding School Review, I couldn't help but notice how seamlessly these schools weave the JROTC program into their school life. JROTC is not an add-on or an extracurricular activity. When you blend and integrate the JROTC program's proven training and goals with a military school's rigorous college-preparatory academic curriculum, you aim to produce graduates who understand service to their country, know how to lead and are confident in their personal path forward.

Here is a look at JROTC and what it entails.

What is JROTC?

Congress established the Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC) in 1916. Each branch of the services has its own distinctive JROTC program. However, they all have the altruistic-sounding mission "To Motivate Young People to be Better Citizens."

The U.S. Army Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) is one of the world's largest character development and citizenship programs for youth. Source: JROTC

Some people think that JROTC is a recruiting program for the military. But it is

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Are You Looking At The Wrong Schools?

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Are You Looking At The Wrong Schools?
By "wrong schools", I mean schools that don't fit your needs and requirements. Finding the "right school' implies that the school meets 99% of what you require. More here.

You've started the process of choosing a boarding school for your child. You've done a bit of reading about the reasons for sending your child to a private school. You've listened to the suggestions and recommendations of family and friends. You've explored dozens of school websites. None of this is challenging to do. However, the chances are that you will find the right school for your needs and requirements. Hopefully, you will. However, despite your reasonable efforts, here are five reasons you might be looking at the wrong schools.

1. They don't offer the kind of curriculum you require.

Think carefully about what the schools teach and how they teach it. Think about this well before creating the shortlist of schools you want to visit. The school's curriculum, how it's taught, and the quality of its faculty should be at the top of your checklist. That's how important an issue this is as you choose the right school for your child.

Listen to the Head of the Math Department at Nichols School in Buffalo, New York, explain the school's philosophy about teaching math specifically and teaching in general.

This part of the process is daunting because boarding schools are unique. They won't all offer the same courses, and they will certainly not approach teaching them the same way. By now, you have a pretty good idea of your educational goals. Are you

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International Boarding Schools: Canada

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International Boarding Schools: Canada
Spotlight on boarding schools in Canada.

The objective of this article is to give you a brief overview of boarding schools in Canada. Explore them. Contact them and ask questions. You will find all of the admissions staff at these schools most eager to assist you as you search for the right boarding school for your child. While Canada is a foreign country, most of these boarding schools are a short flight from most major American cities. Obviously, flight times from Asia or Europe are much longer. Canada enjoys a reputation as a progressive, welcoming nation. The educational standards are high in all of the schools listed below. The curricula vary from school to school, as is the case with all private schools. Research in depth what each school teaches as that can have a major impact on the college application process in the future.

Immigration matters

Lakefield College School spells out clearly what international students need to do in order to study in Cana. "When international students are planning to attend a school in Canada, there are Canadian governmental documents that must be completed during the application process. The student must apply for a Study Permit before enrolling in a Canadian school. International high school students studying in Canada are also required to have an adult legal guardian living in Canada. In addition, students will also need to arrange for health and dental coverage while attending a Canadian school." The immigration process takes a great deal of time. Do not leave this important

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5 Common Myths About Military Schools
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Choosing a School