Vermont Academy Viewbook

VA we are

we are

We are a small, New England boarding school in the majestic Green Mountains, renowned for handcrafting an extraordinarily unique education for each student. We teach our students—grades nine through postgraduate (PG)—how to rely on their inner compass and head toward their true north. We encourage adventurous ideas, natural interests, free thinking, and lifelong growth.

confident empowered vibrant tinkerers entrepreneurs joyful courageous prepared tenacious adventurous connected inventive inclusive authentic supportive family

culture a of we

FOUNDED IN 1876

“The

450-ACRE CAMPUS

Here, students are free to unfurl and be their true selves while they discover their best selves: puck-shooting painters, shy math whizzesturned-thespians, ESL rowing captains, fashiondesigning equestrian chemists, dyslexic point-guard entrepreneurs, all-AP snowboarding cellists.

We create a safe space, rich in endless opportunity, where students are known, heard, and happy to learn. Because we’re small, we can focus on developing the whole student into a confident, inspired, ambitious learner bound for college.

Vermont Academy students know they are valued for who they are as much as who we believe they can become—and who they become is limitless.

NO AIRS, JUST INCLUSIVITY: Where other prep schools tout their exclusivity, we pride ourselves on our inclusivity. Who’s the typical Vermont Academy student? A teenager. A nice one. Our students love feeling like they fit in and we work hard to create that sense of community. Our culture is down-to-earth and diverse. We foster free thinking and personal exploration. If you believe in being authentically and unapologetically you, then you belong here.

level of love and support I’ve received at Vermont Academy is insurmountable. Simply put, this place is more than a school.”

ANI

we are explorers

We focus on process learning, which prioritizes learning to ask the right questions from the information we gather, rather than focusing only on getting the right answer.

We are student-centered, not program-centered. These are teenagers—this is their last chance to truly do everything. At Vermont Academy, students are not expected to choose between music, arts, athletics, and academics. They can go from math class to the tennis court to a play rehearsal in one day. Or from the hockey rink to jazz ensemble to AP study group in the afternoon. We also provide opportunities that are unique to our location: on-campus skiing and snowboarding, a wilderness skills program, hiking excursions, and a living laboratory for lessons in biology, ecology, geology, and sustainability. Students gain confidence here because of our size. It’s easier to try something new in front of 200 people than 2,500.

“We are a Vermont school with a long reach. In our classrooms and on our 450acre campus, our students learn how to be explorers, tinkerers, and innovators.”

DR. JENNIFER L. ZACCARA Head of School

ELECTIVES, INCLUDING: journalism; robotics; creative writing; sustainability; sociology of crime; computer graphics; biotechnology/bioethics; advanced topics in mathematics; electronic instrument building + design; documentary filmmaking.

HANDCRAFTED EDUCATIONS: A new student registered for world history, and a teacher who interviewed her during admissions emailed her to say she might like our civil rights history class instead. Another teacher ran an AP class for just four students. One student reflects, “I wasn’t challenged in public school. Vermont Academy has a lot of unique classes, like Eastern religions and history of film—things I’ll remember a lot longer.” From an independent study with a favorite teacher to a winter schedule tailored to include afternoon on-snow training, we can build a learning environment around a student to keep them inspired and encouraged.

You will be known, heard + supported.

6 to 1

STUDENT TO TEACHER RATIO means no students fall through the cracks.

84% OF FACULTY LIVE ON OR CLOSE TO CAMPUS

“It’s comforting knowing that my advisor is always there to help me. This time has allowed me to further develop as a student and person.”

JORDAN

we are known

Every student here has at least one special relationship with a faculty or staff member, but many have more. Advisors meet with students two times per week, building tight-knit bonds that often become the equivalent of a family away from home. Our college counselors have been known to go seven rounds in editing application essays. One student shared that his teacher would text him when the dining room was serving his favorite sandwich. Students describe their teachers, dorm parents, coaches, and advisors as second parents, older siblings, and Jedi masters. “You’re just close to everyone,” says one. This is why so many Vermont Academy students stay in touch with their teachers and advisors long past graduation.

“Advisors at Vermont Academy possess the unique ability to not only discern each student’s potential and possibilities but to encourage and motivate them to realize those interests and capabilities…academically, athletically, in the arts and in student life.”

STUDENTS MEET WITH THEIR ADVISOR 3 TIMES PER WEEK

SMALL SIZE, BIGGER BENEFIT: With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6:1 and a total population of approximately 200 students, we are one of the smaller New England boarding schools. Students receive considerably more attention in class, additional help with assignments, larger parts in plays, more field time, increased public speaking opportunities, closer college advising and preparation, and better chances to build relationships.

VAUGHAN & MARTY HENNUM Past Parents

“I like MAPS because it allows me to set attainable goals and keeps me motivated to reach them.”

ABBY

{ MY ACTION PLAN FOR SUCCESS } MAPS

Vermont Academy students push themselves to reach and surpass their goals. Our students love MAPS, and here are just a few reasons why:

we are inspired

Vermont Academy students are able to take what they love and incorporate these interests into their educational journey through our MAPS program (My Action Plan for Success). MAPS are working documents developed by each student with feedback and support from their advisor, teachers, coaches, and parents. We encourage students to set short-term and long-term goals across several areas: academic, athletic, and personal. From there, they develop a stepby-step plan to achieve (and often surpass) these goals.

This journey is not one that a student navigates alone. During weekly MAPS discussions, advisors and students check-in to review progress and to make adjustments if necessary. Together, they explore the paths that will most empower the student to experience discovery, growth, and achievement. This process sets our graduates on course for success both at Vermont Academy and beyond.

IT KEEPS ME FOCUSED + GOAL ORIENTED.

“In my first week at VA, I began working with my advisor on my MAPS plan. It was a great way to start thinking about my interests and my future.” WILL

I GET TO FOCUS ON THINGS THAT MATTER TO ME

IT’S A WAY TO TIE IN MY PASSIONS TO WHAT I’M LEARNING IN MY CLASSES.

MY ADVISOR REALLY CARES ABOUT ME AND PUSHES ME TO BE MY BEST SELF.

we are supported

At Vermont Academy support isn’t considered a weakness; it’s a strength. This is because support at VA is about becoming more self-aware, more confident, and maximizing our academic and personal growth. Our 1:1 or 1:2 subject-specific tutoring, study skill help, test prep, and executive functioning coaching provides students with powerful tools for success both at VA and beyond.

The work we do with students during their time at Vermont Academy when they are ready to enter college, they have developed behaviors that foster self-advocacy and independence, and they are comfortable accessing resources on their own. While some of our Center for Learning students have diagnosed learning differences, others do not. Our learning specialists help with key skills such as organization and time management—a struggle for almost all teenagers, regardless of learning style.

The Center for Learning

1:1 OR 1:2 TUTORING as well as study skills, test prep, and executive functioning coaching.

120

COLLECTIVE YEARS OF TEACHING EXPERIENCE means extraordinary instruction, guidance, and growth for our Center for Learning students.

“With support, students develop a confidence that allows them to reach their full potential.”

CHRISTY CATSOS

UNPRECEDENTED SUPPORT: “My teachers know I’m trying even when my grades aren’t showing it yet.” Here, a student is always greater than a grade or a test score. We give students all kinds of hands-on opportunities to show their knowledge: team projects, presentations, demonstrations, artistic interpretations, small discussions, and one-on-one tutorials. Students constantly surprise themselves and often surpass their own expectations. “At Vermont Academy, I can take risks and find confidence, knowing that the teachers and staff will check in on me.”

part of we are something big

“I have made bonds with teachers, coaches, teammates, and friends that will last well beyond my high school years.”

ARYA

Spend any amount of time in our community, and you will quickly learn that while we may be a small school, we have an incredibly large spirit. Connections are at the center of everything we do, and it’s what makes this school a place like no other.

Our value on relationships—close, authentic, supportive relationships—means that there is always someone there when you need them. This sense of comfort and belonging permeates everything we do, and it’s a big reason why our students are so active and involved in our community. It’s because they love it here, and they have the drive to make this school, and their experience here, the best that it can be.

Because we want our students to realize the strength of their actions, service is an integral part of students’ educational journey and is incorporated into classroom and extracurricular activities. Through Vermont Academy’s community service program, students reach beyond the boundaries of the campus, find meaningful ways to connect to the larger community and develop the skills and attitudes of responsible citizenship.

JOIN A CLUB OR CREATE ONE (RECENT CLUBS INCLUDE): Bread Club; Standards Committee; Chamber Ensemble; STEM; Fire Education Club; Sustainability Club; FTC Robotics Club; Gay Straight Alliance (GSA); Jazz Ensemble; VA Voice (school online newspaper); Math Club; Vocal Ensemble; Model UN; Weekend Activities Committee; The Wildcat (yearbook); Write Club; PawPrint (literary magazine). Students may also start new clubs—we’re a community with varied interests and talents. It’s one of the things that make Vermont Academy a fun place to be.

“Vermont Academy to me is all about community. The main reason I chose VA and the main reason I love it is because of our accepting, friendly, caring community.” ZOEE

TRADITIONS

Traditions offer our entire community joyful opportunities to come together in laughter, competition, and all-out silliness. They are a time to bond, to let off steam, and to create memories that will be re-told at countless alumni gatherings to come.

we are at home here

Residential life is a huge component of a boarding school experience. While living away from home as a teenager may seem daunting, living with peers and teachers is—simply put—awesome. Whether you live in a small dorm or large, each of them offers a safe and comfortable “home away from home” atmosphere that encourages respect, personal responsibility, cooperation, and teamwork. In essence, your dorm family becomes your Vermont Academy family, and here you are at home.

SO WHAT HAPPENS ON THE WEEKENDS? In a word, plenty. There are dances, concerts, theatrical productions, volleyball games, and outdoor fires in our fire pit. Off-campus activities include hiking and camping trips, as well as athletic and cultural events such as lacrosse games at Dartmouth College or Blue Man Group in Boston. Most weekends include trips to the mall and Keene, Saturday night at the movies and—during the winter—Sunday skiing and snowboarding at Stratton or Okemo mountains. Thought there was little to do in Vermont? Think again, because you will be (pleasantly) surprised.

MOUNTAIN DAY

When they hear the ringing of the bell classes come to a halt and students and faculty alike are whisked to a secret location for a day of sun, food, and fun.

SPIRIT WEEK

VA students and faculty enjoy a mischievous and jam-packed week.

WINTER CARNIVAL

This much-anticipated event (which is also the oldest in the country) includes activities such as the polar bear run, tandem skiing, dodge ball, curling, broomball, ice sculpting, and lip sync.

WILDCAT GAMES

A “mini” Olympics that pits class against class in a variety of comical and fast-paced events.

ATHLETICS

“No matter at what level you compete, your coaches will mentor and challenge you to support your highest achievement as a student and as an athlete.”

KOFI

OPPORTUNITIES

“I originally came to VA for Nordic skiing and academics, but soon realized there was much more. VA allows me to be a cello player, an artist, an athlete, and a scholar. The opportunities are amazing.”

IT FEELS LIKE HOME

“I never regret making this huge decision to leave my home, family, and friends to come to VA. I cannot wait to return this fall and see all my friends and teachers again.”

KALTY

VA

{ And, why we love it here. }

SMALL SIZE

“At VA, you have the unique opportunity of getting oneon-one attention from your teachers, which makes it easy to complete work.”

KELLY

COMMUNITY

“I chose to come to VA because everyone here genuinely cares for one another. We are such a tight-knit community and everyone knows each other.”

DANIELLE

MUSIC

“I love the music program at VA—my time in the music rooms practicing with the band and on stage are the things I am most proud of and look forward to the most.”

ALEX

JAKOB

Our

Vermont Academy’s athletic program promotes the development of the whole student-athlete—head, hand, and heart—by focusing on teamwork and sportsmanship, self-discipline, and an appreciation of lifelong fitness. We instill in our student-athletes the importance of balancing athletics, academics, and other school commitments. As a result, they leave VA not only with a deep foundation in their chosen sport, but also with well-rounded exposure to other sports and athletic pursuits; a belief in the values of fair play, respect, and persistence; and a top-notch college preparatory education that will serve them well wherever they go.

Our location on 450 acres in the foothills of the Green Mountains provides our community with the terrain for a wide array of sports and play. Beyond traditional athletic facilities, VA offers some unique additions such as an indoor climbing wall; high ropes course; campus ski hill and jump; mountain bike trails; snowboard/freeski terrain park; 30 km of trails; cardio and weight room; a dance studio; and more. With all this at your feet, you’ll find it hard not to move them.

we are creative

From the physics whiz who discovers a talent for graphic design, to the varsity basketball player who gets on stage for the 24-hour play festival, to the robotics team member who plays drums in the jazz ensemble, every student at Vermont Academy has the opportunity to get involved in the arts.

A big benefit of the Vermont Academy experience is that you’re encouraged to try everything. And the beauty of the Vermont Academy experience is that most of our students do! Our variety of courses, small class sizes, and individual attention create an excellent environment for students to feel confident as they discover their own creative talents.

Whether your passion is art, theater, dance, music, photography, or filmmaking, you’ll find our classes fun, challenging, and rewarding. With so many arts to explore, you’re bound to find something that excites you. But remember...creativity is a process as much as it is an outcome, so be prepared to stretch yourself and be inspired!

“One of the exceptional advantages of VA’s small community is that all students can participate where their passions take them, from studio to stage.”

STEVE CADY

24-HOUR PLAY FESTIVAL

In a hectic and zany 24-hourperiod—students write, direct, produce, and perform seven plays before a packed house.

20+

CREATIVE OFFERINGS, INCLUDING: music theory + composition; AP studio art; page to stage; recording studio; studio + still life; electronic music; advanced theater seminar; jazz + vocal ensemble; fine art in the computer studio

Vermont Academy’s studios and performing arts spaces provide our students with the support and opportunity they need to find a voice, take the stage, and play with passion.

350 SEAT THEATER Horowitz Hall boasts one of the area’s newest and largest performance spaces.

Performing Arts Chair

we are green

Vermont Academy is rooted in Vermont values: independence, ingenuity, resilience, sustainability, and a love of the outdoors. Here you’ll be encouraged to explore, to discover, and to innovate.

Life here is safe, wholesome, and green—except in winter. Winter is very white. But up here, we love that because you can shoot pucks during free period, ski to class, and snowboard at Okemo on the weekends. It’s hard to be glum when you’re living and breathing the fresh Green Mountain air on our 450-acre campus. Our Instagram-worthy #nofilterneeded setting provides endless healthy outlets for students to stretch out, clear their minds, make new friends, and reconnect with nature—the effects of which are proven to enhance cognitive development. Our athletics are a major draw for students and families (Go Wildcats!) and so is the fact that you can ski, snowboard, hike, mountain bike, kayak, and ride horseback either right on campus or just minutes away. From our wilderness skills course to Mountain Day when class is canceled for hiking, to leaf-peeping and covered bridges, Vermont Academy has you covered (in maple syrup).

#VERMONTING

VERMONT IS MORE THAN A STATE... IT’S A STATE OF MIND.

from

THE BEST SKIING + RIDING IN THE EAST

Vermont is home to 20 alpine ski resorts, 30 cross-country touring centers and 7,300 acres of alpine terrain—we take winter seriously here.

There are

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

Vermont’s great outdoors is home to some of the most beautiful places to hike, camp, fish, bike, run, you name it.

WE THINK IT’S COOL TO BE SMART

Southern Vermont is within driving distance to many of the nation’s top colleges and universities.

WE PUT THE ‘F’ IN FARM FRESH

Vermont is bursting with thriving farms—which makes eating fresh a way of life.

YOU CAN GET THERE FROM HERE

Boston: 2.5 hours

New York City: 4 hours

Montreal: 4 hours

and

BRATTLEBORO

This city is the artistic and energetic hub for Southern Vermont. Coming

every direction, miles of mountain roads converge in this lively + eclectic downtown.

HISTORY, CULTURE + ENTERTAINMENT

plenty of interesting things to do in Vermont: Bennington Museum, Southern Vermont Arts Center, Hildene,

The Lincoln Family Home, Brattleboro’s Art Deco Latchis Theater, the President Coolidge Historic Site in Plymouth, and the Vermont Country Stores in Weston and Rockingham, just for starters.

MADE IN VERMONT

Vermont has many sustainable small towns filled with smart, happy people that like to get their hands dirty

create beautiful things.

Vermont Academy’s Global Programs offer students the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in another culture. These programs are focused on developing skills in leadership, creativity, entrepreneurial spirit, teamwork competency, cross-cultural competency, problemsolving skills, and active listening.

Opportunities for global trips have included destinations such as Ecuador, Belize, Spain, France, Morocco, Tanzania, and China. Students who take part in these adventures inevitably become more independent, confident, and prepared for life after Vermont Academy, while gaining a unique understanding of history and economics, art and language, and culture and traditions.

WHAT I’VE LEARNED: Vermont Academy’s Global Programs have taught me values and lessons I would never have encountered had not taken the risk and stepped out of my comfort zone. In Chile, our hiking expeditions were hindered by wildfires in the mountains, and instead of exploring the wilderness, we saw our host families and their community through a national crisis. I would not have wished this danger on anyone, but to share in the fear was more real than any hike or vista. Senior year toured Europe with my closest friends and got to develop a sense of self in the global context alongside them, which is something none of us will ever forget. This is what Vermont Academy’s Global Programs are about, allowing students to realize their place in the world and teach them the skills to wield that privilege to the benefit of everyone. -Miranda ‘19

we are leaders

At Vermont Academy, there are countless opportunities for students to express their interests, find their passions, and expand their skills through campus leadership opportunities. We understand that leadership is not “one-size-fits-all” and we support students in exploring and identifying a leadership style that works best for them. And our small size means that there is a leadership role for everyone.

What’s most impressive about VA students is their ability to use their leadership skills to step outside the lines and create something entirely new. This culture of creativity, innovation, and leadership is why so many of our graduates go on to realize their dreams through entrepreneurial pursuits. In fact, characteristics that are most commonly used to describe successful entrepreneurs—creative, passionate, motivated, optimistic, forward-thinking, persuasive, flexible, resourceful, adventurous, decisive—can also be used to describe a Vermont Academy student.

“My experience at VA has helped me figure out what I am passionate about and what kind of person I want to be. Because of this, my confidence has grown.”

VERMONT ACADEMY STUDENT ASSOCIATION (VASA) Be the voice for your fellow students as a class representative.

DORM + DAY PROCTORS

a role model, support system, and leader for your peers.

VA HONOR COUNCIL

VA.

“At Vermont Academy, no matter where you are when you enter, you can accomplish anything if you work hard.”

we

are prepared

Vermont Academy teachers employ an academically rigorous pedagogical approach guided by an emphasis on learning by doing. We believe that the more students are actively engaged with material through activities such as writing, building, discussing, exploring, performing, and overall hands-on experiences, the more they learn both the content of our curriculum and the skills necessary to succeed in college and beyond. The result? A community of learners who are able to think critically and creatively, who work collaboratively to solve problems, and who go on to become leaders in their colleges and their communities beyond.

If there is one word our alumni use more than any other when talking about their Vermont Academy experience, it’s grateful. Yes, they are grateful for incredible friendships that have lasted a lifetime and for how truly prepared they were to hit the ground running when they entered college. But most of all, they are grateful for the strength of character they developed at VA that has helped them to navigate the complexities of the world as empathetic leaders capable of making real and meaningful change.

WHERE I’VE BEEN: Since Vermont Academy expected more from me, it made the transition from high school to college easier. When arrived at Norwich University, it was clear I was academically and socially more prepared than several of my peers. -Matt ‘15

Vermont Academy is always in motion. Our students love to explore the world around them, discover new things, and connect what they’ve learned to life beyond the classroom. Our faculty uncover this energy and ambition—their dedication and passion help students strive, soar, and move mountains. Vermont Academy is a place where students invent themselves, discover their dreams, and realize their goals.