The Storm King School

The Storm King School is nestled on the serene west bank of the Hudson River, 55 miles north of New York City, just a 45-minute drive away. Adjacent to the 3,600-hectare Black Rock Forest Park, the school is situated in a natural environment surrounded by mountains, near the U.S. Military Academy at West Point—a distinctive feature of the school. The school emphasizes art education, with many courses, such as art and photography, conducted in the school's park, which students can access directly via an underground tunnel. These outdoor courses offer students a unique academic experience, allowing them to learn in a natural environment – a distinct advantage of The Storm King School.

The school also offers Honors courses and 11 AP courses, placing special emphasis on art education. Each year, students are successfully admitted to prestigious institutions like Parsons School of Design and Rhode Island School of Design. In the performing arts, students have the opportunity to participate in three major stage performances annually, including a Fall ensemble performance, a Winter one-act play, and a Spring ensemble or musical performance.

Additionally, the Quest Term is a unique program at the school, lasting two weeks, during which no traditional classes are held. During this time, students form small groups of 3-5 to choose topics they are genuinely interested in, engaging in in-depth discussions and research. Through practical application, they not only gain a deep understanding of their chosen topics but also truly discover their own interests. This program provides students with an open academic space, allowing them to discover and develop their academic passions through exploration.

Data for The Storm King School: student enrollment 200, student-teacher ratio 1:5, international students 40%, boarding students 40%, teachers with advanced degrees 80%, average class size 8. SKS was originally a boarding and day high school for boys until 1970 when the school began admitting day girls. From 1975, girls could choose to board, making SKS a co-educational private high school preparing students for higher education in the United States. In addition to academic programs, the school also offers foundational drawing and performing arts, 18 sports teams, 27 clubs and societies, and a variety of extracurricular activities, all designed to fully enhance students' learning abilities and foster self-confidence. The school has "The Mountain Center" to provide additional tutoring for students with learning difficulties. Advocating for holistic student development, every student must participate in community service, participate in 2 sports teams annually, and complete a public speaking course before graduation.

SKS is located about 50 miles north of New York City, in a beautiful, safe, and quiet environment, overlooking the Hudson River and adjacent to the 3800-acre Black Rock Forest. It's an hour's drive from New York, and has a slightly higher proportion of international students.

School Features

1) Offers a rich variety of visual and performing arts programs: SKS is a member of the New York State School Music Association, providing students with abundant performance opportunities. In terms of stage plays, students can participate in three major performances annually, including a full play in the fall, a one-act play in the winter, and a full play or musical in the spring. Being close to New York City, students have many opportunities to watch Broadway shows live.

2) Small class sizes, very friendly teachers who pay high attention to students, and can offer any help needed.

3) Rich curriculum and a wide array of extracurricular activities: Offers 125 courses, 10 AP courses, 6 honors courses, and ESL programs. In addition, it provides Q-Term (short-term intensive courses), offering teachers and students an opportunity for extracurricular exploration; extracurricular activities include 18 varsity sports teams and 27 clubs and societies to meet diverse student needs.

4) Strong digital media arts program: Students learn digital drawing, image editing, digital video, web design, media design, and gain experience with professional software like PS, In-Design, Illustrator, Final Cut Pro, Adobe Cs6, Ableton Live, Garageband. They also participate in school website construction, school event reporting/editing, and art exhibitions.

SKS is located about 50 miles north of New York City, in a beautiful, safe, and quiet environment, overlooking the Hudson River and adjacent to the 3,800-acre Black Rock Forest. It's about an hour's drive from New York, and the proportion of international students is slightly higher.

School Features

1) **Rich Visual and Performing Arts Programs:** SKS is a member of the New York State School Music Association, offering abundant performance opportunities for students. In terms of stage plays, students can participate in three major performances annually, including a full-length play in the fall, a one-act play in the winter, and a full-length play or musical in the spring. Being close to New York City, students have many opportunities to attend Broadway shows live.

2) **Small Class Sizes, Highly Attentive and Friendly Teachers:** The student body is relatively small, and teachers are very friendly and highly attentive to students, able to provide any help needed.

3) **Diverse Curriculum and Abundant Extracurricular Activities:** The school offers 125 courses, 10 AP courses, 6 honors courses, and ESL courses. In addition, it provides Q-Term (short-term intensive courses), offering an extracurricular exploration opportunity for teachers and students. Extracurricular activities include 18 varsity sports teams and 27 clubs and organizations to meet diverse student needs.

4) **Strong Digital Media Arts Program:** Students learn digital drawing, image editing, digital video, web design, and media design. They learn to use professional software such as PS, In-Design, Illustrator, Final Cut Pro, Adobe CS6, Ableton Live, and GarageBand, and participate in school website construction, school event reporting/editing, and art exhibitions.

This school's joint website deleted and altered my previous comments. A school that supports Tibetan independence, a school that once invited Tibetan separatists to promote Tibetan independence on campus, is it still worth considering? It seriously harms national sentiment.

I am a graduate of this school. Objectively speaking, the school's facilities are average. In terms of educational resources, this school offers good art education. Teacher Carruthers is a good teacher. The universities Chinese students attend each year are all good.

Overall, the school's teaching quality is good, with some teachers having very high teaching standards. The school is particularly strong in the arts, with 60-70% of art students being admitted to top art schools every year. The school's art teachers are highly accomplished, often taking students to art exhibitions and visiting art universities. The school facilities are relatively weak, but this is acceptable given the small student population. It's like 'though the sparrow is small, it has all the vital organs' (meaning, small but complete). The dormitory environment is generally very good and convenient, except for the internet being cut off at 11 PM. Dorm supervisors also regularly organize dormitory activities to foster better relationships among residents.