named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Farm Program
Students participate in hands-on agricultural activities including gardening, harvesting vegetables, chicken harvest, and making maple syrup, integrating food production with environmental education.
Outdoor Education
Daily outdoor activities and weekend excursions include hiking, skiing, climbing, and overnight camping, with students encouraged to climb Adirondack High Peaks and experience wilderness living.
Residential Life Program
Boarding program emphasizing community living, personal responsibility, and shared chores, fostering independence and interpersonal skills among students from diverse backgrounds.
Studio and Performing Arts
Comprehensive arts curriculum includes visual arts (painting, photography, ceramics, silk screening), darkroom photography, woodshop, and annual theatrical productions such as Thanksgiving musicals written by faculty.
activities · 10 groups
What they do
-
Project-Based Learning Programs 1 activity
- Deliver hands-on, place-based education based on John Dewey's progressive philosophyProvides a core academic curriculum for students in grades 4–9 grounded in experiential learning and progressive education principles, emphasizing student-driven intellectual exploration and personal development.
-
-
Youth Scouting Leadership Programs 1 activity
- Deliver outdoor education in mountain environmentsRuns outdoor education programs in mountain settings to build student confidence, leadership skills, and resilience through experiential learning.
-
-
Horticultural Education and Community Gardening 1 activity
- Engage students in farm, garden, and seasonal food production activitiesIntegrates farm and garden work into student life, including maple syrup production, animal care, and participation in communal meals using farm-grown ingredients, to connect students with natural cycles and promote personal growth.
-
-
School and School-Community Events 1 activity
- Host annual school events and traditionsOrganizes recurring community events including Welcome Weekend for boarding student move-in, an annual Thanksgiving celebration with student performances and farm-sourced meals, and a May graduation ceremony for ninth graders.
-
-
Comprehensive K–12 Arts Education 1 activity
- Operate daily arts instruction and creative programmingOffers daily art instruction and regular creative activities as a core component of the weekly educational program for all students.
-
-
Nonprofit Retail and Merchandise Sales 1 activity
- Produce and sell campus-made goods through school storeOperates both a physical and online store selling student- and campus-produced goods such as maple syrup, yarn, and goat’s milk soap, alongside school-branded clothing and apparel.
-
-
Student Housing and Residential Services 1 activity
- Provide residential life and community programming for boarding studentsOffers a balanced residential community experience for middle school students, including international students, with structured shared experiences, age-appropriate development support, and recreational activities.
-
-
Cultural Exchange and Community Integration Events 1 activity
- Relocate and preserve historic campus structures through student-led projectsConducted the 200-foot relocation of a 45-ton historic residence with active participation from 4th- to 9th-grade students in a cross-disciplinary, months-long project integrating science, math, and art.
-
-
Youth Theater Arts Education 1 activity
- Stage student performances and artistic productionsProduces and stages student-led performances, including a May 2026 production of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night,” as part of the arts and creative curriculum.
-
-
Alumni and School Community Newsletters 1 activity
- Support alumni engagement and communicationEncourages alumni to stay connected by updating contact information, volunteering for regional events, and sharing personal and family news, and publishes the Winter 2026 issue of the Organic Roots alumni magazine.
-
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$15.78M
Contributions & grants$7.97M51%
Program service revenue$7.11M45%
Investment income$623K4%
Other revenue$81K
expenses
Total expenses$11.53M
Program expenses68%
Admin / overhead24%
Fundraising8%
Salaries & benefits$5.84M
Grants paid out$1.37M
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$41.80M
Cash$3.90M
Investments$19.71M
Liabilities$9.29M
Net assets$32.51M
Liquid reserves24.6 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +50.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 4
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| TODD ORMISTON | Executive Dir. | 50 | $324K |
| KEITH ROSSER | CFO | 50 | $160K |
| CHRISTINE BORDEN | ADVANCEMENT DIRECT | 40 | $141K |
| WILLIAM NEWMAN | ADMISSION DIRECTOR | 40 | $131K |
board members · 21
- AHRIELLE COOK — Trustee
- ALLYSON SHAMES — Trustee
- BARKLEY STUART — CHAIR
- BILL WADDINGTON — Trustee
- CARLA VON TRAPP HUNTER — Trustee
- DAVID STEWART — Trustee
- DORSEY BARNETT HOROWITZ — Trustee
- ED BIDDLE — Trustee
- EMANUEL WEINTRAUB — Treasurer
- GREG MARCHILDON — Trustee
- LISA BECK — Trustee
- MARA F WALLACE — Vice-Chair
- NICHOLAS HEWITT — Trustee
- PAMELA ROSENTHAL — Trustee
- PETER BREST — Secretary
- ROBERT PARKER — Trustee
- STEFAN NOWICKI — Trustee
- THATCHER BROWN — Trustee
- TIM WENNRICH — Trustee
- TORI HUNT — Trustee
- WILL WHITNEY — Trustee
relationships · 5
Who they work with
- Camp Treetops Partner — Co-manages a store with Camp Treetops and shares campus resources.
- Camp Treetops Partner — Collaborates on Access Wild Places program to provide outdoor experiences and mentorship for student groups.
- Camp Treetops Partner — David Loud and his family were connected to both North Country School and Camp Treetops, indicating a close institutional or programmatic relationship.
- Camp Treetops Partner — Operates in partnership with North Country School as a combined educational and camp program.
- Charles Schwab Partner — Financial institution used to process gifts of stock on behalf of North Country School.
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Arts-Integrated Holistic Developmentmethodology: arts-integrated_educationBy embedding daily artistic practice across disciplines, students build creativity, collaboration, and emotional intelligence because sustained engagement in the arts cultivates both cognitive and interpersonal growth.
- Empathy and Character Development Through Challengemethodology: character_development_through_challengeBy intentionally designing experiences that require perseverance, empathy, and goal-setting, students build character and become changemakers because overcoming meaningful challenges fosters purpose, self-awareness, and service orientation.
- Experiential Learning Through Meaningful Work and Environmentmethodology: knowing_by_doingBy integrating academic learning with hands-on activities in nature and community life—such as farm work, outdoor exploration, and artistic practice—students develop confidence, leadership, and personal growth because direct experience fosters deeper understanding and identity formation.
- Farm-to-Table as Educational Practicemethodology: farm-to-table_educationBy using food grown on campus in community meals, students connect learning with natural systems and ethical stewardship because tangible participation in food production fosters responsibility and environmental awareness.
- Residential Community as Developmental Contextmethodology: residential_community_modelBy living, learning, working, and playing together in a tight-knit residential setting, students develop interpersonal reasoning, mutual respect, and civic responsibility because shared daily life creates authentic opportunities for social-emotional growth.