Conserve School
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| Conserve School | |
 The Conserve School logo on an on-campus flag. |
|
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Land O' Lakes, Wisconsin, WI, USA | |
| Information | |
| Religion | Nonsectarian |
| Headmaster | Stefan Anderson |
| Enrollment |
130 [1] |
| Faculty | 33 |
| Average class size | 15 |
| Student:teacher ratio | 1:6 [1] |
| Average SAT scores (2002) | 1153 [1] |
| Type | Private, Boarding |
| Campus | 1,200 acres (5 km²) [1] 9 buildings |
| Athletics | 79% of student body |
| Athletics conference | Northern Lakes conference |
| Mascot | No mascot |
| Color(s) | Black and Gold |
| Established | 2002 |
| Homepage | http://www.conserveschool.org/ |
Conserve School (on James Lowenstine's estate Lowenwood, often shortened to Conserve) is a disciplinary boarding high school in Land O' Lakes, Wisconsin, United States. The school aims to serve academically talented students by using a college preparatory curriculum that emphasizes environment, ethics and innovation.
Contents |
[edit] History
Conserve 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]. Today, Conserve hosts about 130[1] students from several states and foreign countries.
[edit] Academics
Conserve School's purpose is to emphasize the environment and the outdoors while providing a college preparatory environment for students to learn and innovate in.
[edit] Advanced Placement
Conserve School offers Advanced Placement (AP) courses in select subject areas.
[edit] Winterim
Conserve School has a program in January called Winterim. This program allows students to take one class for three weeks. Classes range from trips to the PRC to facial reconstruction, allowing students to try new things not offered in a traditional classroom.
[edit] Student Life
Students at Conserve School live in "wings" of (up to) 9 students[3]. Each wing has ten student rooms (5 bathrooms between rooms), a common area, and a kitchenette. Each wing is chaperoned by "wing parents", one or two staff members whom live across from the students. Wings are encouraged to function as a community and bond with each other. Access to the wings is electronically controlled through a keycard system. Students, with the exception of Seniors, are unable to return to their dorms during school hours even if they don't have class. The keycard system also allows the operators to track all student movement through access points. Students are not allowed to have cars on campus. Students are not allowed to have campfires, go swimming, camp, or leave the student path after dark without supervision. Intercourse is not allowed among students and the health center offers no contraceptives.
[edit] Technology
Conserve School provides a range of technology resources for students and staff.
[edit] Computers
Students are loaned an HP Compaq nc6220 laptop computer with Windows XP and a limited-access user account. Laptops are supposed to be replaced every few years, with current plans for a refresh in the 2008-2009 school year. A Media Lab is occasionally available for student use, and currently contains 3 Compaq Evo D510 desktop computers, as well as two iMac G4 computers and a PowerMac G4 for video editing.
[edit] Network and Internet Services
Students are provided with an email account as well as limited network storage space to store important schoolwork. Internet access is provided through a T1 line, and is available throughout academic buildings and in each student room. An 802.11g wireless network also covers some indoor areas. Conserve is looking into upgrading the internet line to a T3 (there's an option that would put us closer to a T4) and getting a 802.11n wireless network to replace the current 802.11g network.
[edit] Printing
In addition to black & white and color laser printers, Conserve School owns an HP wide format printer for special print jobs up to 42 inches in width. Conserve School also owns a 3D printer, used for modeling in Technology and Science courses.
[edit] Campus
Conserve School's campus includes 1,200 acres (5 km²) of forest bordering Michigan and Sylvania Wilderness. The campus includes four student dormitories, or "houses", a guest dorm used by visitors and the nurse , an academic building (LAB), an athletic center (LRC), a technology complex (TC), a greenhouse used to process the school's sewage ("Green Machine"), and the headmaster's residence.
[edit] 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 large two-floor 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 entire LAB is covered in an 802.11g wireless network.
[edit] LRC
The Lowenwood Recreation Center (LRC) is the school's athletic complex. The LRC features a gymnasium, climbing wall, racquetball courts, and a weight room. Situated on the eastern shore of Big Donahue Lake, the LRC provides easy access to (as well as equipment for) the waterfront in warm weather and cross-country trails during winter.
[edit] The Green Machine
Lowenwood has a natural water treatment facility right on the campus. It takes "used" water and cleans it naturally, with tanks filled with microrganisms and/or plants. This facility has been widely criticized for its energy inefficiency, mostly during the winter months, and has been a source of debate since the first year it accepted students. The administration, presented viable options for increasing the efficiency of the facility, have not responded to student concerns.
Conserve School worked with Audubon International to gain a certificate in the Audubon Signature Program, which helps create developments that are environmentally sound.
[edit] Notable Staff
Notable staff members include:
- Roger Jones, math teacher
- Norm Ellenberger, basketball coach
- Stefan Anderson, head of security
[edit] 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.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e Conserve School - Boarding School Profile
- ^ Conserve School - About Conserve
- ^ The wing features ten rooms, but certain seniors are granted the right to use a spare room.
