What is the measure of a great education? In a world full of competing learning assessments and random performance measures it is difficult to discern an answer. Most schools around the country and across our region—public, charter, and independent alike—have scrambled in recent years to quantify who holds a competitive edge. This has led to a plethora of educational schemes devised to cram ever increasing amounts of content into students' minds while failing to teach strong critical thinking and research skills. In such schools feelings of boredom and disconnection run amok. For many, these symptoms of educational stagnation are considered the natural byproducts of a rigorous learning process instead of what they truly represent—the failure to inspire intellectual curiosity in the minds of our youth.
We don't believe school has to work that way. Educational research has repeatedly demonstrated there is a direct positive correlation between the rate of educational achievement and the level of classroom engagement in students. Though a difficult quality to measure, a student's connection to the educational experience is an essential part of an incomparable education. At ULS, we provide every member of our learning community with a rich, experiential approach to learning—one where content and process is crafted in a developmentally appropriate manner that honors individual needs. We believe the purpose of school is to nurture a lifelong love for learning, and we achieve this goal with a process and philosophy that is second to none.
Our kids pursue an array of deeply meaningful learning experiences outside of the classroom—on the stage, on the field, and in service to their community—with every student a participant. Because our unique environment requires achievement in multiple disciplines, the capabilities and talents of each student are fully recognized, and self-confidence and personal competence are manifest.
For more than 50 years, University Lake School's secluded 180-acre campus has provided a safe and inspirational setting for those who embrace the idea that a great education challenges the whole person and all branches of their giftedness. I encourage you to visit our beautiful campus to see for yourself how a vibrant and joyful community works together to nurture a scholar, athlete, artist, community servant, and leader in every child. We look forward to welcoming you here!
Sincerely,
Paul Atkinson
Head of School
At ULS, we follow a constructivist, student-centered approach to learning. Our students develop a mastery of traditional fact and process-based standards utilizing a hands-on, developmentally appropriate approach, and regularly investigate and construct knowledge through the rigorous incorporation of research, publishing and presentation across the curriculum.
As a premiere college preparatory school, we provide a unique blend of traditional and non-traditional educational structures and expectations, all of which tap into the power of learning as it occurs within the public domain. We believe in the power of a participatory educational environment where students become deeply involved in all facets of the school experience. Each of our graduates departs to college as a practiced scholar, field researcher, athlete, performing artist, community servant and student leader.
University Lake School is a college preparatory school that delivers an incomparable education driven by high standards and a unique approach to learning.
Our dynamic and rigorous curriculum challenges the whole student by integrating innovative academic, leadership, athletic, artistic and service learning experiences within a vibrant and joyful community.
We inspire: Intellectual Curiosity ♦ Original Thinking ♦ Personal Integrity ♦ Character Through Service
University Lake School was founded in 1956 by a group of men and women devoted to the cause of better education. The genesis of the idea, however, had come a decade earlier. At that time, the few families who had decided to make their Lake Country homes year-round residences were faced with overcrowded schools and academic programs geared toward the needs of a rural population. At that time, Waukesha County schools offered no nursery or kindergarten programs, so a handful of parents started their own nursery school, which would remain in existence for many years.
With the establishment of the nursery school to their credit, the early ULS parents moved on to active involvement in their local public school districts. Their experiences in education laid the framework for the founding of a co-ed, college-preparatory, independent middle and high school. On September 15, 1958, the new school opened in temporary quarters with forty-five students in grades seven through ten. At the end of the first school year, the move began to the present, permanent home of the school.
The legacy of University Lake School and its rich traditions continues to be celebrated by our community. The new families who join our school community each year stand side by side with our founding families in continuing the mission of the school.
University Lake School was founded more than 50 years ago by a group of Lake Country parents who wanted to provide a superior education for their children. More than half a century later, expert teachers continue to enthusiastically guide students from preprimary through twelfth grade, engaging them in a dynamic, college preparatory learning experience that evokes participation, commitment, perseverance and imagination. Our parents remain actively involved in their children's education through close contact with teachers, numerous family and community events and many volunteer opportunities. We truly are a community where every child and family is known and valued.
- An integrated curriculum of academics, athletics and the arts
- A 9:1 student/teacher ratio that fosters individualized instruction
- A preprimary program, based on the Reggio Emilia approach to education, which encourages learning through discovery and directed play
- 180 acres of safe, pristine wooded grounds and excellent learning facilities
- A sense of community where every child is known
- High-caliber faculty who engage students in their studies
- Advanced technology, including a student notebook computer program, that supports the overall education of students
- A leadership program teaching responsibility and character through service
- Competitive, no-cut athletic programs for 5th through 12th grade students
- Graduates who are ready for the demands of colleges and universities
- An award-winning college guidance program focused on finding the right college fit for students
