Kents Hill School is set apart from other schools because all the students, whether they are at the top of the academic ladder or whether they must work extra hard, want to learn.
Ted Johnston, parent of Alec '06
In a supportive academic community, where self-discovery and learning are highly prized, we prepare each student for the following:
- To matriculate to college
- To become a life long learner
- To appreciate the arts and the environment
- To value diversity of thought and experience
Outstanding Curriculum
All of our courses are college preparatory courses, and NCAA/College Board approved. Advanced Placement and honors courses are available in virtually every academic discipline, as are basic courses for those needing more guidance. Students wishing to pursue subjects outside the regular curriculum are encouraged to take advantage of the Independent Study Program. Students can also pursue one of our Exchange Programs in England and France.
In 2003, Kents Hill School received national recognition for our programs in math and science as a recipient of the Siemens Foundation Award for Advanced Placement. One of 12 schools in the nation to win this award, Kents Hill School was the first school in Maine to earn such recognition. In 2007, Social Studies teacher David Pearson was awarded the Harvard Singer Prize for Excellence in Secondary School Teaching, one of the 3 national recipients.
We pride ourselves on the breadth and depth of our curriculum, which, like our community, embraces a global perspective. Despite our small size, we offer over 100 courses in many different disciplines.
During their years at Kents Hill School, students can:
- Explore Eastern beliefs and discuss global ethics …
- Gaze at the stars, exlore plankton ecology and coastal erosion ...
- Reach Calculus AB and AP Computer Science…
- Discuss international relations and environmental resource use…
- Discover Dickens, write poetry and study film ...
- Read Don Quixote and Le Petit Prince ... in their native languages ...
- Dabble in DNA, investigate diseases and study bloodstains …
- Paint, act, carve, sing, drum, design, build, film and sculpt…
Individual Attention: Individual Support
Kents Hill students come from a wide variety of backgrounds, states and nations. Some are ready to tackle the most advanced courses, while others need to be challenged at a level appropriate to their abilities. Small classes, which range from 6 to 16, and attentive, accessible faculty allow each student to be challenged appropriately to achieve his/her greatest potential.
Advising
Each student is assigned an advisor; this relationship is one of the keys to the success of the school's close, friendly community. Advisee groups of 6-8 students meet regularly throughout the trimester, both formally during the academic day and, often after hours for dinner, either at the advisor's home or in town. The advisor monitors each advisee's progress through the school, academically, athletically and socially, throughout his or her time at Kents Hill.
Bi-weekly reporting
Every two weeks students are evaluated for effort and achievement in each subject, and reports are sent to their advisor. Students meet formally with their advisors to discuss biweekly reports and design a plan of action, as needed. The faculty also meet together biweekly to discuss students. Students struggling academically are placed in a nightly, faculty-supervised study hall and required to meet with teachers during the daily conference/extra-help period.
Support for Learning Differences
Students with mild to moderate learning disabilities or attention issues can seek extra tutorial assistance from our nationally recognized Waters Learning Center, which offers a two-tiered program of academic support. Started in 1979, the Waters Learning Center is celebrating many years of helping students with learning differences succeed in a college preparatory program.
ESL Program
Students from abroad, for whom English is a second language, can take advantage of our ESL Program, which offers a 3-level, progressive curriculum suitable for most non-native English speakers.
Postgraduate Program
High school graduates who wish to spend another year preparing for college are encouraged to apply to our Postgraduate Program, a comprehensive and intensive year designed to enhance each graduate's personal potential.
