OLD SCHOOL GOES NEW SCHOOL

THE LOWDOWN ON STEAMBOAT’S INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS

When considering a move to Steamboat, among the first things people think about are the schools. The good news is Steamboat has a strong public-school system, and it also has an independent school offering for kids from kindergarten through grade 12. Better yet, Steamboat’s two independent schools, Emerald Mountain School and Steamboat Mountain School have officially merged, allowing students to have access to a seamless education based on a cohesive philosophy throughout their entire school career.

“It makes sense for the two schools to join forces,” says Samantha Coyne Donnel, Head of Emerald Mountain School. “We have an overlapping commitment to small class sizes, building a connection with the community, and maintaining a highly dedicated faculty. We are also committed to experience-based education and outdoor education, a large component of our teaching methods that drive both schools.”

Meg Morse, Head of School at Steamboat Mountain School (SMS), has seen a lot of history during her 22-year tenure and says the decision to merge was a natural one. “The schools are so closely aligned in their philosophy and mission; it was a no-brainer,” she says.

Never have the advantages of independent schools been more apparent than during the pandemic, when both schools were able to open to in-person learning without sacrificing their academic standards or the deliberate approach to learning that both schools were founded on. “Because we are smaller and independent of state mandates on things like curriculum, textbooks, and testing, we have the ability to be nimble and flexible,” says Donnel. “We really see the advantages of that in a pandemic, when everybody is forced to adapt.”

Since Emerald Mountain School (EMS) was founded in 1993, the school’s approach has been to create an environment to inspire critical thinking, problem solving, and an interest in lifelong learning while attaining a solid academic foundation. Donnel summarizes the approach as a “growth mindset” and says there are many advantages to entering independent schools from an early age. “The goal should be to maintain that curiosity and excitement about learning that kids innately have,” she says. “When you get them into a rich environment with a dynamic curriculum, you can maintain high academic standards, but you can also foster essential qualities like intellectual curiosity, how to be good humans, a good classmate, a friend, and a member of the community.”

Donnel emphasizes small class sizes, individualized attention, and teachers who are passionate about their areas of study as the key to making sure no student gets left behind. “Nothing is more exciting than a teacher who is passionate about a subject and can bring that enthusiasm to the kids,” she says. EMS also offers specialized programming in Spanish, string instruments, and public speaking to foster intellectual development and confidence. Parent participation is also an integral part of the school community. “It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen,” says Donnel, who came to Steamboat from independent schools in Los Angeles. “Our parents help shovel sidewalks, serve lunch, do school laundry. It’s not a drop your kid off and disappear kind of school.” Parents attend fall camping trips to foster that connection. “Parent engagement and participation is the secret sauce of Emerald. It’s how they get to know us, our program, and the curriculum.”

Like Steamboat Mountain School, EMS centers its curriculum around experiential learning through outdoor education and global studies, and that foundation makes it easier for students to transition

from primary school into high school (with the new merger, students who attend EMS will now have the option to be automatically enrolled in Steamboat Mountain School). “The outdoors provides an opportunity to challenge students, to learn about themselves, and be good stewards of the outdoors,” Donnel says. The global citizenship program culminates with a trip to Peru for seventh and eighth graders. “Our goal is to increase their global awareness. We want to nurture growth in civic conscience, and in the richness and diversity of all human cultures.” The EMS curriculum and foundation in global studies serve students well when they enter SMS. “A lot of people think we are a ski academy, and we do have Olympians and X Gamers here, but the real bones of the school is our global studies program, which is focused around a month of travel in April,” says Morse. “All our trips have components of adventure, a home stay, community service, and cultural engagement. The goal is to get students to at least four different countries on four different continents in four years. They get pushed outside of their comfort zone; that’s our goal.”

SMS does offer a competitive ski and snowboard program, with an adjusted academic calendar that allows athletes to focus on training with the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club and to allow time for travel to competitions during the ski season. “While the global studies students are traveling, our skiers and snowboarders get to make up those missed classes, and everyone ends the year at the same time with finals. They don’t have to compromise a high level of academics for their skiing,” Morse says.

SMS is also a small school with 71 kids (30 boarding and 41 day students) with small class sizes and plenty of individual attention and support for its students. Both schools say the admissions process is a two-way street, focused on making sure the schools are a good fit for families and on building a strong school community for students and their parents. “It’s a deliberate choice you make when you come to school here. We go beyond traditional high school experiences,” Morse says. “We offer a very specific program. Our admissions director is brilliant when having those initial conversations with families in order to identify students who will thrive in our environment.”

Both Morse and Donnel agree the merger will make both schools stronger. “The overlap has always been so strong between the two schools. When families are entering the independent school world, they are able to see K through 12 as one continuous process,” Morse says. “That’s an amazing gift.” //steamboatmountainschool.org //emeraldmountainschool.org