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Joining The Pathfinder School
Welcome! 
We're so happy that you are interested in Pathfinder as a possibility for your child. Since 1972, The Pathfinder School has been endowing children with the joy of learning. Our students value learning as a lifelong pursuit, delight in imagination and discovery, develop social skills and solid friendships, and build a foundation of knowledge, fostering intellectual stimulation and analytical skills so that they can become contributing members of society. Pathfinder has always meant an engaging curriculum, outstanding teachers and learning by doing. These attributes continue. Our curriculum is designed to move children seamlessly from early childhood into the teen-years, with every step of the way choreographed to kindle the natural inquisitiveness of young minds. We want our children to analyze and question what they hear and see. We want them to form their own assessment of the validity of those understandings. We want them not just to comprehend, but also to experience science, mathematics, history and language. We use the arts as one of many methods by which our students learn, and concomitantly they come to appreciate music, the physical arts, dancing, and creative writing. We recognize that each child is different. Each learns in different ways, enjoys different things and excels within his or her own realm. We have the class sizes that allow us to understand, nurture and respond to those differences. There is a broad base of research that supports our methods--and we employ them not only because they are valid in theory, but also because we know they are valid in practice. All pedagogy aside, however, the Pathfinder difference is the personalized approach used by our special faculty that makes learning come alive in the classroom and in nature every day for our children. We love the children and they know it. We earn their respect each day as they learn to respect themselves, eachother and the values of civility and stewardship that are cornerstones of our learning community. Listening to our eighth grade students at their graduation is an exhilarating experience. Whether they are presenting a personal reflection, reading poetry they have written, singing, dancing or performing with musical instruments, it is hard to imagine these are young teenagers. They are informed, of course—but they are also confident without conceit, comfortable with themselves and others and able to express themselves with insight far beyond their years. It is a remarkable combination of knowledge, humility, civility and grace. We are proud of our history and traditions. We are proud of our graduates. We are proud of the recognition our faculty and students receive. Moreover, we are proud of what we do every day: helping children grow, learn, and discover their own best selves. Come join our community of dedicated teachers, involved and committed parents, and our broad spectrum of wonderful children! Please explore our web site. To get more information, please call the Enrollment Office at 231-995-3839 or email Leisa Eckerle Hankins at lhankins@thepathfinderschool.org. We look forward to getting to know you and your child! Best wishes, Leisa Eckerle Hankins Director of Admissions and Development |