Vermont Academy

10 Long Walk

Rockingham, VT 05154

24 Reviews

School District
Grade

9-12
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by other on February 16, 2024

I was pulled out by my parents because they didn't like the administration, curriculum, or the school's emphasis on sports more than safety of students. There are many reports of administrators mistreating students. Also this string of recent reviews are clearly self-promotions. Check their dates.
Submitted by parent on February 15, 2024

Vermont Academy is a great school for your child if you want them to be seen for who they are. They don't try to change your child, they try to make them the best version of themselves. Academics are rigorous but not cutthroat. They encourage students to be well-rounded. They encourage students to take risks and try things outside their comfort zone. They understand that sometimes teenagers make mistakes, and while there are consequences for those mistakes, there are serious attempts to help the students learn and grow from them. It is a fun place with a lot of enjoyable traditions. The setting is beautiful and the staff and student body are welcoming and kind.
Submitted by other on February 15, 2024

Recent Alum. Vermont Academy set me up for success in college and life. VA is more than a school for learning but shapes kids to be their best selves. VA provides the opportunity for students to do whatever they want educationally, socially and personally. Students there can be varsity athletes while discovering their interests in art, student leadership roles, politics etc. I went in as a "hockey player" but I left as someone with goals and interests that I didn't know I had. The positives is that there is such a close relationship with students and all faculty and staff that you feel safe to try new things and succeed, or fail, it doesn't matter. Thats life and thats what VA will help teach you. I have lifelong relationships with a ton of the staff and some will certainly be attending my wedding. I will always be grateful for Vermont Academy.
Submitted by other on February 15, 2024

Vermont Academy is a fantastic school where students are able to pursue just about any passion they might have while being able to balance their academics. Students are also encouraged to step out of their comfort zone and try things they've never done before. The community is tight-knit and because of that students are truly able to be themselves. The faculty are passionate and strive to ensure the students have the best possible experience here. It's a special place, and no matter who you are, you'll find something at VA for you.
Submitted by parent on February 14, 2024

I am the parent of a VA graduate and a current student. My two children couldn’t be any different, and yet Vermont Academy was the perfect place for them both. My daughter thrived as a soccer and hockey player, writer, and actor. She was able to hone her leadership skills as a proctor, tutor, and class rep. My son thrives as a snowboarder, musician, and mountain biker. He has discovered so much about himself in this environment. He has multiple trusted adults in his life there, all of whom have his best interest at heart. He has a fabulous group of friends whose motto is, “if anyone asks to sit with us at lunch, we always make room.” After a rocky middle school career, he is the happiest he’s ever been. We could not be happier as parents. The Vermont academy staff works hard to address any concerns. In our experience, they are approachable, available, and dedicated. Both my kids loved their teachers, classes and coaches.
Submitted by other on February 14, 2024

This school was the best 4 years of my life and will always be my second home.
Submitted by other on February 14, 2024

Vermont Academy is a positive and kind community full of bright students and supportive faculty and staff.
Submitted by other on February 14, 2024

I'm a recent alum of Vermont Academy and my experience at the school was wonderful. I transferred to VA from a day school for my Senior Year and, while my time at the Academy was short, I wouldn't trade it for anything. The teachers and faculty truly make VA feel like home and the students are exceptional people. The vast range of opportunities for academics and co-curriculars makes the school accommodating of students with a wide variety of interests and helps develop experienced and curious global citizens. The uniquely significant presence of international students at VA allows for domestic students to engage with perspectives they may not encounter very regularly and it makes the campus a more welcoming space for kids of all backgrounds. Additionally, the school is incredibly gifted at being an inviting environment for entering students of all class years. Despite only being there for my Senior Year, I faced no challenges in making friends and integrating into the Academy. The school traditions were my favorite aspect of attending such an established institution and are a critical aspect of the community at VA. My only regret about attending VA was that I didn't get to do so for longer :)
Submitted by student on January 28, 2024

Amazing school. I came in to this school during my Junior year and it has been the best school year of my life. Amazing community, really nice people, pretty good food, great academics, great sports, and supportive teachers and administrators. The campus and surrounding area is beautiful as well.
Submitted by parent on July 11, 2023

Vermont Academy is an unsafe environment that put my child in danger. Before I pulled her, I emailed the administration to express my concerns. They waited weeks to respond. When they finally responded, they denied my concerns and victim blamed my child. The headmaster was particularly condescending in how she wrote. She dismissed my concerns and implied she knew better than me, a concerned parent. Aside from their unfriendly and incompetent administration, the rest of the school is not in good shape. Many of the teachers have left. The food is very bland, mostly just chicken and rice every other day. Almost every focus on the school is derived from their basketball and hockey teams, and how much news attention they get. My advice is to avoid Vermont Academy in its current state and go somewhere that values your child's safety and education.
Submitted by parent on May 13, 2023

My two oldest children joined the school community in 2021-2022 for their sophomore and senior years, respectively. Coming out of the global pandemic we wanted to find a school where they could reconnect with peers, try new things, and continue to push themselves to their growth edge academically. Vermont Academy gave them fantastic opportunities across the board. My daughter graduated and is now attending one of her top college choices. My son is now a junior and he has had the opportunity to dive deep into digital arts, learn to snowboard, become a skilled rock-climber and make friends from all over the world. His teachers and advisor really "see "him and they support him in his journey as a student.
Submitted by parent on December 24, 2022

My children hated this school in 2021. They felt unsafe, ignored, and mistreated by other students and staff. Whenever I visited, the administration advertised their hockey and basketball team, instead of academics. Their favorite teachers all left to work at schools that cared for students. I did the same when I pulled them out.
Submitted by parent on October 30, 2022

Worst environment for my kids. Teachers hated their jobs. Coaches were only in it for money. The administration lets bullying happen.
Submitted by parent on August 19, 2022

School discriminates against people with different viewpoints. The staff do nothing to let every voice be heard. It just makes everyone feel worse. My kids' mental health was terrible at this place.
Submitted by parent on May 22, 2022

Let me start by saying that I am both an alumnus and a parent of a Vermont Academy student, and VA is such a pivotal part of our lives that I serve on both the Alumni Council and the Parent Leadership Team. I see Vermont Academy's strengths and weaknesses from a variety of vantage points. I graduated in 1991 and VA was pivotal in my life. VA represented a new start, a new lifestyle, and new opportunities, and better staff/faculty support. It did not disappoint. I chose VA in particular because of the ability to ski, and it was fantastic. I also played a number of sports and was the lead in a school musical. These all felt like opportunities that I would never have had. It also helped me to build lasting friendships and I loved living amongst my peers.I have raised my two children as a single mother in North Carolina, and I had not really intended to send my children to boarding school because it is expensive and because I had trouble imagining my life without them. The oldest stayed in public school through graduation. My youngest is a very high achieving child, but was lonely do to Covid isolation. He applied to VA and with the help of a generous scholarship, started his junior year there is the Fall 2021. This year has been fantastic. Living in a dorm, playing on sports teams, eating together, and going to classes together makes it very easy to make friends and adjust. The activities keep them busy -- and of the little free time that he had, he spent a lot outside playing volleyball, hiking, running, or at the gym. He made friends and spent weekend evenings going to outdoor movies or hanging out in the student center. This spring, as the world became more open, weekend activities off campus added a new dimension. The only thing that was somewhat disappointing was that much of the hockey team is recruited and he is below their skill level and didn't always feel welcome, but he also improved a lot and developed new interests including soccer and climbing. They don't spend a lot of time sitting in their rooms playing video games or watching movies -- they are interacting with others, engaging in activities, and studying. I miss him -- I can only describe how I felt leaving him that first day as bereft. But by the fall parents weekend, I felt so confident that it was the right decision that I all of my anxiety and sadness had disappeared. Junior year is now over, he is home, and we are both excited for whatever next year will bring
Submitted by other on May 18, 2022

When I was at VA, I enjoyed strong relationships with my teachers - it’s an active effort of theirs to connect and get to know students. The community is small, and growing (which is impressive for a school so old). Everyone knows everyone else to some degree, which makes school events a ton of fun - the oldest and dare I say most competitive Winter Carnival in the country takes place at VA. As a result, the tour guide program is phenomenal, students will take tours around campus and share personal stories, not just the general necessities of a regular tour. At board and day schools, there’s always the concern that the day students won’t get the same opportunities as the boarders. VA minimizes this issue, and essentially you can participate in as much as you want. Before COVID, day students had the ability to bring boarders home for the weekend. Education is something I felt could have been a bit more competitive generally, however VA allows some breathing room when it comes to class choices. Senior year for example, there is an exclusive and extensive capstone program. Sports are an integral part of campus, at any given moment there’s either people in the rink, on the fields or in the gym training to be their best self. VA has sent several basketball, hockey, soccer, Nordic skiing, and baseball players to NCAA D1. VA strongly supports the Student-Athlete. The Art program is strong, sending close to a dozen gold key winners to the scholastic art and writing awards. The Music program is even stronger, with around 20% of the school participating. I know VA was the best choice for me. Call the admissions office and schedule a tour to see why it’s a school you should consider.
Submitted by parent on May 18, 2022

Vermont Academy is an exceptional school for boarding and day students. Nestled in the hills of Vermont, it offers a wonderful community of learning. The arts, academic and athletics are strong and welcoming to each and every student. All of our children have attended this wonderful school and have been prepared for college and life.
Submitted by parent on May 18, 2022

I have two children that have attended this school. One graduated in 2021 and the other is in tenth grade. This school has done a phenomenal job navigating the pandemic. The sense of community is unparalleled. Every student is known and appreciated. Teachers meet the students where they are and encourage them to do their very best.
Submitted by other on May 17, 2022

I really enjoyed my experience at VA. I was really struggling academically, the Center for Learning and Amy Lanterman in particular was my saving grace upon my arrival at VA. I worked most evenings and all free periods on improving my mathematics and science base level skills that I did not have prior. I felt like I was at home and not a bother to the staff that was helping, which was the most relieving aspect of it all. It is a place with teachers that care and are selfless with their time to better the overall experience. My three years spent in Saxtons River were all I could ask for out of a high school experience. Athletically, I thrived and was lucky enough to have some good opportunities open up for me due to my turn around in the classroom. When I have visited the past few years, I am always glad to see the smiling faces of my past teachers and administrators. I am looking forward to reunion being back on this summer ('22) so we can all reconnect as a family since covid.
Submitted by parent on April 14, 2022

The leadership at this school is terrible. Students not held accountable and parents bully, intimidate and threaten coaches and students as the Head of school does nothing. The school lies to parents, doesn't protect the students from bullying and the students run the campus. The Head of school is out of touch with how to run a school and how to connect with students. The facilities are terrible, and the tuition is higher than most other boarding schools.