Indian Mountain School

Indian Mountain School
Life Through Service
Location
Lakeville, CT United States
Information
Type	Coeducational,Junior Boarding
Religious affiliation(s)	No religious affiliation
Established	1922
Headmaster	Jody Soja
Enrollment	252
Campus	600 acres (2.4 km²)
Color(s)	Maroon and gray
Mascot	Falcons
Website	indianmountain.org

Indian Mountain School is an independent coeducational boarding and day school for children grades pre-K through 9, located on two campuses in Lakeville, Connecticut, USA.

The Indian Mountain School Lower Campus is a primary school, grades pre-kindergarten through 4, while the Upper Campus is home to students grades 5 through 9. Indian Mountain accepts boarding students in grades 6 through 9.

Indian Mountain School is often abbreviated as IMS.^[1]

History

In 1916, Francis Behn Riggs purchased land and buildings on the site of the present Upper Campus.^[2]

The school, in recent years, has incurred numerous allegations of sexual abuse. It is claimed that large-scale, systematic sexual abuse occurred at the school during the 70s and 80s. Multiple law suits have been brought against Indian Mountain School for negligence and the appropriation of sexual abuse. Suits were brought forth in the 90s and again in 2015.

Arts

Also known as IMS, Indian Mountain School has established an arts program that offers opportunities for all students. They have created an "Electives" program, offering courses ranging from Film Production to Digital Photography to Ancient Greek to Monty Python. IMS puts on one musical (in the fall/early winter) and one play (in the winter). Recently, they have put on "Arsenic and Old Lace" and "The Wizard of Oz" (both 2005), "Fools" and "Damn Yankees" (both 2006), and most recently,"Harvey" by Mary Chase (2007). More than half of the students on the Upper Campus take individual music lessons and over 70 students take guitar. The Mountain Voices(a co-ed singing group for 8th & 9th graders), guitar, jazz band, rock band, percussion ensemble, string quartet, orchestra, drums, etc. For those who are not particularly interested in learning how to play an instrument, there is Music Appreciation.

Athletics

Indian Mountain School has a gymnasium, seven playing fields and three all-weather tennis courts to accommodate IMS athletes during the fall and spring seasons. A paddle tennis court is used for recreational purposes throughout all seasons. During the winter, athletes make use of the gymnasium, swimming pool, the basketball and squash courts, and the ice hockey rinks at The Hotchkiss School. Additionally, ski teams train and compete at Catamount Ski Area.

Notable alumni

John G. Avildsen – director of The Karate Kid, The Karate Kid II, Rocky, Rocky V, Lean on Me, and The Power of One
Douglas Tompkins – environmentalist, co-founder of two clothing companies: The North Face and ESPRIT. Owner of around two million acres (8,000 km²) of land in South America, primarily dedicated to conservation

References

External links

Indian Mountain School website
The Association of Boarding Schools profile
Indian Mountain School profile provided by schooltree.org