Founder of the Ross School, Courtney Sale Ross, has made cultural and international understanding a part of her school curriculum since it opened in 1992.

Now, Courtney Sale Ross has taken that to a new level when last year the school began its boarding program that has already attracted 50 students from 10 different countries like Taiwan, Hong Kong and Japan, according to this article in the East Hampton Star.

The boarding program began with just five boarding students and has rapidly expanded to include 50 boarders (25 percent of the high school). According to the school, it plans to grow to an overall boarding population that will represent 50 percent of school community.

The tuition doesn’t come cheap, though. Tuition for boarding grade eight through twelve students ranges from between $30,000 to $44,000. The school does offer tuition assistance programs. Those are typically reserved for students who live nearby the campus.

International boarding students in the East Hampton Star article are quoted giving Ross School praise for its “well-rounded” focus on arts and culture. It’s even been a learning experience for local U.S. students.

“Now, being integrated with the international students — we all eat together, we study together — it’s very interesting to have that cross-cultural experience,” said one student.
Boarding students can live “family style” with faculty house parents during their time at Ross School or they can choose to live with a host family.

The program is billed on the school’s Web site as a “wonderful opportunity for students to prepare for the increased independence and responsibility of college academics.”

Weekend activities include a variety of options, such as trips to nearby New York City, sporting events, museums and more. Students recently gathered for a karaoke night, learned how to make sushi and baked apple pies, according to the Boarding News blog.

Of course, the program and the Ross School would not be available if not for Courtney Sale Ross, who has become an innovator in the education field for the past 17 years. Courtney Sale Ross wanted to provide an educational outlet that challenged the way traditional schools work.

Under her leadership, the school has recently been lauded for being at the “frontiers of education,” for its innovative curriculum. It used neuroscientific findings with a heavy focus on “multiple intelligences” and the links between emotion and learning, to create new curriculum.

Parents can learn more about the programs at Ross School by calling the admissions office at 631-907-5400, or download an application here for the boarding program.