SCHOOL PROFILE 2015–2016

Marvelwood’s mission is to provide the path to personal growth and academic success for young people willing to get involved in their education and commit themselves to their preparation for college.

The School is an optimistic environment that offers structure, support, and challenge, celebrates diversity, and awakens untapped potential.

Core Values

Honesty

Honesty has been and remains the School’s most important rule and guiding principle. Being honest involves keeping promises, having the courage to do the right thing and to admit wrong- doing, being candid and forthright in all relationships and situations, and practicing truthfulness in all communi-cation, actions, and decision-making. Honesty inspires trust and builds strength of character, which all members of the Marvelwood community should strive to achieve.

Respect

Self-respect and respect for others are the cornerstones of our diverse community. Self-esteem, courtesy, and wise decision-making form the founda-tion for a School based on the values of empathy and tolerance. The value of community goes beyond the notion of assimilation to embrace mutual respect, diversity, and integration. Learning from each others’ experiences and beliefs builds a common and evolving School character.

Responsibility

Being responsible means being in charge of our choices and thus, our lives. It means being accountable for what we do, what we say, and who we are. It also means recognizing that our actions matter and that we are morally bound to their consequences.

Service

The School’s longstanding commitment to serving others reflects our desire to foster and nurture a genuine service ethic in all members of our community. Students, faculty, and staff are encour-aged to look beyond themselves by reaching out to others, showing kind-ness and generosity, anticipating the needs of others, and putting service before self.

Marvelwood at a Glance

Year Founded: 1956

Students: 165 in grades 9–12 and PG; 150 boarding and 15 day

States Represented: 12

Countries Represented: 11

International Students: 29%

Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 4:1

Average Class Size: 8–12

Faculty and Administrators: 55

Faculty with Advanced Degrees: 52%

Average Faculty Tenure: 15 years

Residential Faculty: 75%

Number of Dorms: 4

Residential Dorm Faculty: 14

U.S. Students of Color: 25%

Students Receiving Financial Aid: 28%

Endowment: $1.9M

Campus Acres: 83

Miles Outside New York City: 95

Accreditation: NEASC

Memberships: CAIS, TABS, WCBS, NAIS

Adelphi University

Albertus Magnus College

Albright College

Allegany College of Maryland

Art Institute of Chicago

Bard College

Bentley University

Binghamton University

Boston College

Brandeis University

Bridgewater State University

Bryant College

Champlain College

Clarkson University

Coastal Carolina University

Colby-Sawyer College

Concordia University

Cornell University

CUNY Brooklyn College

Curry College

Dean College

Denison University

Drew University

Drexel University

Elmhurst College

Farleigh Dickinson University

Fashion Institute of Design

Fashion Institute of Technology

Florida Southern College

Glion Institute of Higher Education

Goucher College

Green Mountain College

Greensboro College

Guilford College

Hampshire College

Hartwick College

Haverford College

High Point University

Hofstra University

Hult International School of Business

Iowa State University

Keene State College

Kent State University

Landmark College

Lesley University

Loyola Marymount University

Lynn University

Manhattan College

Manhattanville College

Marlboro College

Marymount Manhattan College

Medaille College

Michigan State University

Mount Holyoke College

Muhlenberg College

Naugatuck Valley Community College

New England College

New York Institute of Technology

New York University

Newbury College

Norwalk Community College

Pace University, New York City

Parsons The New School for Design

Paul Smith’s College

Pennsylvania State University, Altoona

Pennsylvania State University, Harrisburg

Pennsylvania State University, University Park

Pratt Institute

Prescott College

Quinnipiac University

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Richmond –The American International College London

Roger Williams University

Royal Holloway, University of London

Rutgers University

Sacred Heart University

Saint John’s University

Salve Regina University

San Francisco State University

Savannah College of Art and Design

School of Visual Arts

Simmons College

Skidmore College

Springfield College

St. John’s University

St. Lawrence University

State University of New York, Buffalo

State University of New York, Delhi

State University of New York, Morrisville College

Stonehill College

Suffolk University

Sullivan County Community College

Syracuse University

The Culinary Institute of America

The George Washington University

The Ohio State University

Unity College

Universidad de Navarra

University of California, Berkley

University of California, Irvine

University of California, Los Angeles

University of California, San Diego

University of Connecticut

University of Hartford

University of Illinois at Urbana–Champlain

University of Iowa

University of Maryland, College Park

University of Massachusetts, Amherst

University of Miami

University of New Haven

University of Oregon

University of Rochester

University of Scranton

University of Tennessee, Knoxville

University of Vermont

University of Washington

University of Wisconsin– Madison

Wagner College

Warren Wilson College

Western Connecticut State University

Westhill University

Wheaton College

Wheelock College

Worcester Polytechnic University

College Matriculation 2011–2015

“�In�every�way,�our�school�is�designed�to�support��college-bound�students�in�their�efforts�to�achieve��intellectual,�social,�personal,�and�moral�growth.”�Arthur F. Goodearl, Head of School

Learning Support

Marvelwood’s unique Learning Support program provides students who learn differently with the support and tools they need to experience academic success, to increase self-confidence, and to acquire strong learning and self-advocacy skills they will need in college and beyond.

Learning Support is a daily one-on-one or small-group tutorial period that supple-ments Marvelwood’s college preparatory curriculum. Programs are customized to meet students’ individual learning needs. Students enrolled in the Learning Support program may work one-on-one with a teacher to complete class work and to reinforce skills and basic concepts critical to academic success. Students requiring less intensive support may work in a small group of 2–4 students that focuses on executive functioning and core academic skills. Students may also be trained to use the assistive technology available in our Learning Lab, including Voice Dream Reader, Dragon Naturally Speaking, and iPad apps.

Ornithology in Connecticut and Panama

Marvelwood is one of only three high schools in the nation to offer a yearlong course in ornithology. Students observe birds in their natural habitat and have documented more than 87 species that breed in or migrate through northwestern Connecticut. Projects include operating bird-banding stations under the guidance of the Institute for Bird Populations and maintaining a colony of Purple Martins, an endangered species, with the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection.

Marvelwood’s Building Migratory Bridges program was established in 2001 in collab- oration with the local Audubon Center. Twice each year, Marvelwood students travel to Cocobolo Nature Reserve in Panama, a vital yet fragile section of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor, to monitor the habits of migratory species and research the country’s native birds and reptiles. During each trip, students engage in activities with children in the nearby isolated village of La Zahina and take part in service projects that benefit local communities.

Community Service

Since the founding of the School, service has been a core value. Each Wednesday morning is devoted to regional community service projects. Every spring the Senior Service Trip provides a culminating experi-ence for Marvelwood seniors, offering tangible proof of their potential to make a difference in the lives of others.

We offer a range of community service options, including:

• Akindale Thoroughbred Rescue

• Amnesty International

• Astor-Wingdale Head Start

• CROP Walk

• Domestic Violence Awareness Week

• Kent Senior Center

• Kent Volunteer Fire Department

• Knitting for Newborns

• Little Guild Animal Shelter

• Make-A-Wish Foundation

• Mountainview Farm

• Sharon Audubon Center

• Timeout Foundation

Cornerstone Programs

Minimum Graduation Requirements

4 credits in English, grades 9–12

4 credits in mathematics, grades 9–12, including Geometry and Algebra 2

3 credits in history, including U.S. History

3 credits in science, including two lab sciences

2 credits in foreign language (may be waived in some cases)

3 credits in the arts

Performing and Visual Arts

At Marvelwood, we believe all students have a gift for creating, and we provide myriad opportunities for them to discover and develop their creative voice through a wide range of perform-ing and visual arts classes. Students have the opportunity to work individu-ally with faculty members to design a self-directed course of study. Music students may study privately with vocal or instrumental instructors, and all students showcase their talents at performances throughout the year.

Academics

Courses Offered: 80

AP and Honors Courses: 20

Course Offerings in Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts: 18

Sample Course Offerings • AP Art• AP Chemistry• AP Calculus: AB, BC• AP Comparative Politics• AP Economics• AP European History• AP Statistics• AP U.S. History• Applications of Algebra• Art History• Computer Science:

Database• Computer Science:

Web Design• Environmental Science• Ethology• Food Studies• Harry Potter and

Philosophy• LEGO Robotics• Ornithology• Russian Literature• Science, Society, and

the Environment • Screenwriting• Social Psychology

Art Offerings

Marvelwood offers 20 arts courses covering the following subjects:

Music: Songwriting, world music, jazz history, solfège, music performance

Theatre: Acting, musical theatre, technical theatre, theatre history, theatrical critique, screenwriting, Shakespeare in performance

Visual Arts: Ceramics, drawing, film, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, yearbook

Residential Life

Leadership Opportunities• Community Service• Judicial Council• Peer Mediation• Peer Tutoring• Prefects: Dorm, Mail,

Kitchen, Social Media• Student Activities• Student Government

Clubs and Activities• A cappella• American Mathematics

Competition • Art Club• Chorus• Connecticut Envirothon• Gay-Straight Alliance• Jazz Band• Marvelwood Idol• Math Club• Mouth of the Mountain

(school newspaper)• Music on the Mountain• National Econ Challenge• Orchestra• Percussion Ensemble• Prom Committee• Rock Band• Social Media• Table-Top Gaming Club• Yearbook

Weekend Trips (non-academic)• Adventure Park • Amusement parks• The Big E State Fair• Bowling• Broadway shows• Camping• Comic-Con• Dances• Go-karting• Mini-golf• Minor and major league

sporting events• Movies• Paintball• Roller skating

• Trampoline park

Athletics

Number of Athletic Teams: 17

League Championships 2010–2014: 7

A wide variety of non- competitive athletics are also offered.

Fall• Cross country• Hiking*• Mountain biking*• Soccer• Volleyball

Winter• Basketball• Recreational skiing/

snowboarding*• Ski team• Weight training• Fitness training• Wrestling

Spring• Baseball• Canoeing*• Lacrosse• Rock climbing*• Softball• Tennis• Ultimate Frisbee

* A non-competitive athletic activity offered through Outdoor Adventures Program.

476 Skiff Mountain Road | PO Box 3001 | Kent, CT 06757-3001 860-927-0047 or toll free 800-440-9107 | marvelwood.org

a day and boarding school for grades 9–12, plus post-graduate year option

Head of School

Arthur F. Goodearl

art.goodearl@marvelwood.org

Assistant Head of School for Admission

Katherine Almquist

katherine.almquist@marvelwood.org

Assistant Head of School for Advancement and Dean of the Arts

Paul J. Tines

paul.tines@marvelwood.org

Dean of Academic Support and Individualized Programming

Elizabeth Radday, Ed.D.

liz.radday@marvelwood.org

Dean for Parents and Associate Dean of Students, Dean for Girls

Heather Hastings

heather.hastings@marvelwood.org

Dean of Students

John Russell ’88

john.russell@marvelwood.org

Director of College Guidance

William Bingham

bing.bingham@marvelwood.org

Director of Residential Life

Misty Jordan

misty.jordan@marvelwood.org

Senior Academic Dean for Curriculum and Programming

Blythe Everett

blythe.everett@marvelwood.org