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Why Boarding? Part III

Why Boarding? Part III

Mr. Zimmerman concludes his conversation with Mrs. Amy Zervos, the parent of a curent student and of two Linsly alumni who were boarding students during their time at Linsly.

As Head of The Linsly School, Mr. Justin Zimmerman often gets asked about Linsly’s boarding program and why parents might want to choose to send their child to a boarding school. The following is the final part of a three-part blog series that helps to address this question for parents who might be considering a boarding experience for their child.

Highly Qualified & Experienced Faculty

Linsly teachers and residential faculty are experts in their subject content area and well-versed in teaching and learning methods and pedagogy. They not only bring curriculum plans and objectives to life but are also interested in the overall development of their students.

-    Faculty create a supportive environment where students feel comfortable taking risks and challenging themselves.
-    Teachers and boarding faculty receive professional development opportunities annually based on well-researched best practices.
-    Linsly provides extensive funding for faculty members to participate in off-campus workshops, conferences, graduate work, or other training programs.
    
As parents, Mrs. Zervos shared, “We wanted to ensure our children would be around trustworthy, respected, and caring adults, precisely what we have experienced at Linsly. Our children, even as graduates, still talk to and interact with their former Linsly teachers, and that is special. That tells you they connected and the faculty is positively connecting with students.”

There is no question that, at times, it is hard to be away from your children, but Mrs. Zervos felt it would have been selfish not to provide them with this fantastic opportunity. Even though they may have had less daily contact as parents with their children, they certainly had more quality time, making them closer. As parents, they still were involved and helped their children navigate decisions, manage social situations, and help with “how to” stuff when they needed support. Linsly ensures, in many ways, that parents are still involved with important decisions and are engaged in their child’s life.  

A Global Campus Community

Linsly is proud to enroll a culturally diverse group of students from the United States and 20+ foreign countries. Forming friendships with students from all corners of the world helps students gain a global perspective, develop cultural understanding, and form lifelong friendships with students worldwide. This offers students a competitive advantage as university students, citizens, and professionals when they enter the working world.  

Mrs. Zervos shared that she always loved that her children were learning about different cultures while forming friendships with Linsly students. “It was organic and happened over shared meals, dorm room conversations, classroom discussions, sports, or casual talks. Those are incredible opportunities, and they would not have happened had our children not attended Linsly.”

Here is what Theo, Mrs. Zervos’ son, shared when reflecting on his experience:

Experiencing the extreme diversity of cultures, people, and ideas from all over the world present in a boarding school has helped me grow as an individual. I have formed international bonds, tried traditional international foods, learned about different cultural celebrations, and even learned pieces of different languages from the students I lived with. Being in this position, surrounded by people from 22 different countries, has not only taught me so much about different corners of the world, but it has also taught me to be more open and accepting of foreign ideas and people. I have learned to listen to and acknowledge ideas that I have never been introduced to before.


So, when parents ask, why boarding?

Mr. Zimmerman says, “It’s because it opens doors. It provides opportunities and experiences that accelerate growth.  It provides a seamless transition from high school to college.”

As someone who has been in three different boarding schools, Mr. Zimmerman will also tell you the truth.

“It’s not for everyone, but as a boarding school student myself, my parents, and many other parents I have known, do it because they want to broaden their children’s educational and life experiences," says Zimmerman.

All parents are willing to sacrifice to ensure their children have every opportunity to become who they were meant to be and live a happy life. Boarding school parents are no different. They are the parents we have come to know and our relationships with the parents and boarding school students are long-lasting and will continue to enhance our broader school community for generations to come.

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If you want to learn more about The Linsly School or the boarding program, (either our 5 or 7-day boarding option) please do not hesitate to reach out to our admissions office admit@linsly.org, apply at Linsly, or visit our boarding website at  https://www.linsly.org/student-life/boarding-life

We would be honored to connect with you!