Honoring wonder, fostering friendships, building understanding

The Pathfinder School was officially founded in 1972 by Arthur and Nancy Baxter alongside a commitment of teachers from Interlochen, The Leelanau School, and Traverse City Public Schools. After refurbishing the original buildings and constructing a few new buildings, the school began providing Kindergarten through Grade 12 on a historic estate intertwined with beautiful wooded grounds and lakeside access to Cedar Lake. For nearly 50 years, our 22-acre campus has provided a natural habitat for learning, play, growth, and inspired curiosity; a tradition we hope to continue for many years to come. Our small community of students, Faculty and Staff, parents, and alumni, are bonded together through friendship and a common passion for quality education. Community is a large part of social emotional well-being, and Pathfinder was founded on the principles of teaching the whole child, in the way each student learns best.

Engaging, project-based learning produces intellectually curious and high achieving young adults

For over 45 years, The Pathfinder School has been inspiring children to achieve their personal best as lifelong learners, young global citizens, creative thinkers, and stewards of the Earth. Our students are motivated to look beyond the outward appearance of things and toward a deeper understanding. The basis of all inquiry begins with the fundamental question: "How am I and all other things connected?" This question arises time and time again in all of our classrooms - PreKindergarten through Grade 8. Consequently, student learning is grounded in relevance; the positive results, as measured both by student achievement and engagement, are irrefutable.

Pathfinder Is…

• Fully accredited by the Independent School Association of the Central States (ISACS).

• One of only two ISACS-accredited independent day schools serving Pre-Kindergarten - Grade 8 students north of Lansing, Michigan.

• Committed to small classes and personal attention; Individualized instruction with a student: faculty ratio of 8:1.

• Staffed by passionate teachers whose real-life field experience adds relevance to classroom instruction.

• Dedicated to an engaging and responsive curriculum built on the proven principles of experiential education.

• Recognized increasingly as a destination school, attracting families from across the country.

• A 22-acre wooded campus brimming with learning opportunities nestled on the shores of both Cedar Lake and Grand Traverse Bay.

• A community full of many opportunities for parental involvement including an active parents’ association, community-building activities, and adult education.

• Centrally and conveniently located 3 miles from downtown Traverse City at the base of the Leelanau Peninsula.

• A school culture that honors diversity in its many forms and promotes civility: our school admits students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin.