The Lincoln Academy Board of Trustees held its annual meeting Tuesday, July 21, announcing the school’s growth in residential enrollment and plans for the upcoming year, including a student union in the Hall House basement.
“We haven’t really slowed down since school got out,” said Head of School David Sturdevant.
The student union will include a snack shop and café.
Sturdevant also said that the artificial turf field is nearly finished. It will be called the William A. Clark Field, and the school is planning a dedication ceremony on homecoming weekend.
Enrollment and Marketing Director Sheryl Stearns announced the enrollment of the school’s first student from Kazakhstan with excitement. Lincoln Academy will welcome 30 new residential students in the 2015-2016 school year, bringing the school’s number of residential students up to 81. Home countries of Lincoln Academy students now include China, Vietnam, Korea, Turkey, Spain, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Russia, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, and the U.S.
“Last year we made a very conscientious effort to give more financial aid than we originally planned,” said Stearns.
Stearns said that the school is trying to recruit more domestic residential students, but noted that families from the U.S. who can afford to send their children to boarding school are more likely to select an institution like Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire.
“We’re still trying to figure out what makes us different,” said Stearns, adding that Lincoln Academy’s arts curriculum is certainly appealing.
Sturdevant mentioned the appeal of the Cable-Burns Applied Technology and Engineering Center, noting that a student from Nebraska with an interest in boat-building could pursue their passion at Lincoln Academy.
Sturdevant also shared some old and new courses that the school will offer in the upcoming school year, including robotics, metal sculpture, woodworking, and digital photography.
