Lowell Whiteman School

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The Lowell Whiteman School is a Small college preparatory school in Steamboat Springs, Colorado focused on experiential education, for students in grades 9-12.

Lowell Whiteman School
School type Private, Co-ed
Winter SSWSC and Foreign Travel
Established 1957
Head of School Walt Daub
Campus Mountain Setting
Religious affiliation None
Location Steamboat Springs, CO, USA
Enrollment ~105
Faculty ~33
Boarding/day student ratio 40% boarding to 60% day
Average class size 7-10 Students
Mascot Penguin
School colors Blue, White
School website www.lws.edu

(LWS), founded in 1957, is a coeducational boarding and day school in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. LWS educates roughly 105 students in grades 9 through 12. The curriculum emphasizes rigorous college preparatory academics, educational experience in the wilderness, campus work crews, and lots and lots of skiing.

Contents

[edit] Skiing/Snowboarding

There are two general groups of students in Lowell Whiteman School:

[edit] Competitive Skiing/Snowboarding Program

Competitive skiers are on a 'skiers schedule'. This refers to a schedule in which skiers drop two of their five classes during the winter. Because of the difficult and strainful classes, this is necessary to allow time for skiing. Tuesday through Friday competitive skiers finish classes at 11:45 to train with the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club. In the spring, to make up these classes, skiers participate in "Intersession" while the Foreign Travelers are traveling. During this time, the Competitive Skiers pick up the two classes they dropped.

[edit] Recreational Skiing/Snowboarding Program

Recreational Skiers keep all five classes during the winter and finish classes at 12:30pm Tuesday through Friday. In this program, the skiers and snowboarders are divided into groups based on skill level to create the optimal recreational and learning enviroment. Groups ski two days a week (Tuesday and Wednesday). Most recreational skiers attend foreign trip, though a few participate in the Community Service Program.

[edit] Foreign Travel

The goal of the forign trip program at the Lowell Whiteman School is for students to gain a sense of other cultures, immerse themselves in a different language and tradition, become a part of a new community. These wonderful opportunities give the students a new image of the world. Margi Missling-Root, director of experiential education, wants students to know what it means to be a citizen of the world. Foreign trips have traveled to many locations including India, New Zealand, Mongolia, Vietnam, Costa Rica, The Maldives, Botswana, and Swaziland.

The groups are choosen very carefully by a council of students and teachers. The following qualities are considered but are by no means an exhaustive list: group dynaics, student maturity, and ratio of gender. The idea behind these trips is to move students outside of their comfort zone, and give them a wider perspective on the world. This helps students to learn to react creatively to many unique situations. The language barrier presents a wonderful experience to learn about communication and its many forms; we communite with more than just words. In this, the students become connected with the country in a way that can be found at no other school on the planet.

[edit] Academics

Lowell Whiteman is a college preparatory school with many classes to choose from.

[edit] Courses

English I, English II, English III, English IV, AP English IV, Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Precalculus, Honors Calculus, AP Calculus II, World History, Geography, U.S. History, Post WWII History, Honors Environmental Geography, Biology, Chemistry, Anatomy & Physiology, Honors Physics, French I, French II, French III, French IV, AP French V, Spanish I, Spanish II, Spanish III, Spanish IV, AP Spanish V, Art I, Art II, Film, Photography, Drama, Computer I, Computer II, Networking

[edit] Graduation Requirements

A minimum of 18 classroom credits is required to graduate from the Lowell Whiteman School. A minimum of sixteen credits must be earned in the fields of English, Math, Social Studies, Science, and Foreign Language (traditional academics). One credit must be earned in the arts and one in the field of computers. One credit is given for each course passed with a year grade of 60% or better. In order to earn an LWS diploma, students must obtain the minium ammount of credits.

[edit] Specific Graduation Requirements:

Four full-year credits in English, Full-year credits in Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II, Full-year credits in World History, Geography and U.S. History, Full-year credits in Biology and Chemistry, Two full-year credits in a foreign language (Students must complete 2 levels of their language.), A full-year credit in the arts, A full-year credit in Computers (students may test out of requirement), All students participate in either the Foreign Travel Program or the Competitive Ski/Snowboard Program, All students participate in the camping program