A high school experience like no other - preparing students for life through academic rigor, real world experiences, and meaningful social opportunities!
What are you looking for?
Imagine a school that you LOVE coming to every day. A community of friends and teachers who support you in being YOU. A school that encourages you to explore your passions AND one that helps you achieve whatever you want now & for your future!
High School - FernLeaf Style
FernLeaf's high school is more than 50% smaller than traditional high schools creating a tight knit community amongst staff and students.
COMMUNITY
FernLeaf high school students have a myriad of opportunities for enhancing their learning and developing meaningful relationships through monthly off campus fieldwork, domestic & international travel as well as overnight trips.
EXPERIENTIAL ED
FernLeaf’s rigorous academic program offers the ability to earn a variety of diploma endorsements and certifications preparing them for college and other life pursuits. Honors, advanced placement, virtual & dual enrollment options supplement an already comprehensive course of study.
ACADEMICS
FernLeaf recognizes the importance of friendships and relationship building during the teenage years and provides numerous opportunities for students to socialize both in and outside of the school day.
SOCIAL EVENTS
Students choose from a wide range of elective options including: Spanish, Astronomy, Robotics, Visual Arts, Orchestra, Outdoor Ed and More!
ELECTIVES
Adventure sports options abound for our high school students including: backpacking, canoeing, rock climbing, white water kayaking and MORE!
ADVENTURE SPORTS
Athletic options for our high school students include traditional sports such as cross country & soccer as well as non-traditional athletics like ultimate frisbee & disc golf teams.
ATHLETICS
FernLeaf offers overnight trips for students EVERY year along with optional domestic & international travel opportunities!
TRAVEL
Friends, social experiences, and relationships in high school are an important part of the high school experience. FernLeaf students learn and develop skills to help them build healthy and supportive relationships, navigate life’s challenges, and build compassion and empathy for others.
RELATIONSHIPS
FernLeaf's teachers and staff believe in ALL of our students creating a supportive environment to learn and seek your passions.
SUPPORTIVE STAFF
Intentional career exploration and ongoing guidance along with job shadowing and internship opportunities help FernLeaf high school students develop their unique passions and aptitudes with an eye toward college & other post graduation options.
FUTURE PLANNING
Building on all of the rich and varied opportunities of their high school experience, FernLeaf graduates are prepared not just for college and work, but also to navigate the complexities of adult life beyond high school.
BEYOND FERNLEAF
What our community says...
"We chose FernLeaf because it offers a level of community & experiential educational opportunities that are incomparable to other educational institutions. Our children have been nurtured and cultivated by the staff to become inclusive, insightful communicators, and community members."
High School Parent
Sample Daily Schedule
(NOTE: times & periods may vary)
*FernLeaf Extended (FLEX) Passing Period is an important time for socialization and rejuvenation where students can connect with friends, follow up with teachers, rest, have a snack, and generally reset & prepare for their next class. Typical High School passing periods are 3-5 minutes.
**FernLeaf Exploration (FLEX) Class Period provides students with a designated period for Advisory, additional support from teachers, study hall, and other structured activities & opportunities.
High School Years at FernLeaf
FernLeaf graduates are prepared not just for college and work, but to navigate the complexities of adult life beyond high school.
FernLeaf High School students are eager to use their unique passions & aptitudes to explore the world and their relationships and start asserting their independence as learners, doers and people. FernLeaf's incredible Staff are eager to promote this deep learning through rigorous academic experiences, meaningful fieldwork opportunities, promotion of self exploration, after-school extracurricular activities, travel opportunities, and diverse elective opportunities.
High school is the time many students have been waiting for! Since FernLeaf strives to nurture the WHOLE person, not only will your high school student work academically towards graduation, but they will also have opportunities to engage as the thoughtful and compassionate members of society that they have become as they explore various ways they might develop their skills to be contributing members of their communities. Whether through employment, apprenticeship, college, trade school, entrepreneurship or other avenues, FernLeaf will guide them on their way!
FernLeaf also recognizes the importance of friendships and relationship building during the teenage years and provides numerous opportunities for students to socialize both in and outside of the school day. Even little things like intentional team building activities, extended lunch periods, and increased time between classes offer FernLeaf high schoolers opportunities to develop meaningful relationships during a critical juncture in their lives. Outside of the school day, students are provided with numerous fun and engaging social activities that provide supervised, safe, and structured environments for them to socialize, build relationships, and hone interpersonal skills that they will carry with them throughout their lives. The choices they make, the friends they connect with, and the relationships they develop during their high school experience have lifelong implications and the FernLeaf Community stands ready to support them.
High school academic programming at FernLeaf becomes increasingly specialized and complex while building on the content, knowledge, and skills developed during the middle school years. New levels of understanding, confidence, and academic capacity emerge and students become more capable and accomplished than ever before. Students use their increasingly sophisticated place in life to meet graduation requirements as well as earn recognition for their achievements through a variety of Endorsements and Certifications. Whether earning a North Carolina Academic Scholars Endorsement, a College/UNC Endorsement, an Outdoor Leadership Endorsement, or anything in between, FernLeaf High School students are supported in their individual pursuits and endeavors.
In addition to Core Academic and Elective courses needed to meet state graduation requirements, FernLeaf provides advanced opportunities including Honors, Advanced Placement courses, Dual Enrollment options, Independent Study opportunities, as well as support in finding or creating internship, workforce development, and/or certification opportunities.
FernLeaf’s rich and meaningful High School experience culminates in the unfurling of a student who is not only ready to meet their post graduation goals, but also LOVES learning and is a thoughtful, compassionate and engaged member of their community!
