Mission & Core Beliefs

MISSION
A nurturing home that inspires trailblazers to advance our world

VISION
Using the Core Beliefs as a guide, Vermont Academy graduates engage in the world as critical thinkers and make a positive difference in the global community.

Vermont Academy’s educational philosophy is based on four historic values of ingenuity, independence, community, and love of the land. These values create the underpinnings of an early bound book called The Vermont Academy Way, and they represent the framework shaping the development of today’s curriculum.

Ingenuity
VA students are problem-solvers through work in the classroom, the community, independently, and through team projects. Vermont Academy’s program is student-focused and growth-oriented, emphasizing learning by doing. Creativity and problem-solving run through all programs allowing students to be curious and to contribute solutions to academic and community challenges.

Independence
Students will know their strengths and challenges, and with mentoring from caring adults, strive to build on these strengths and overcome challenges. By cultivating self-awareness, students will become more resilient and able to advocate for themselves. Students are encouraged to maximize their individual growth as students, athletes, artists and citizens in individual and team settings. 

Community
Students at Vermont Academy feel a sense of belonging in a close-knit community while also understanding the impact of their actions in school and in a wider, global community. Adults in the Vermont Academy community know students well from close mentoring relationships, which allow students to thrive. Based on the belief that all members of the Vermont Academy community are viewed as assets worthy of respect, tolerance, and good citizenship are nurtured. Exposure to diverse and global perspectives expands cultural understanding. Leadership and community service opportunities provide avenues for students to contribute to the welfare of others.

The Land
VA Students come to understand and appreciate the rural Vermont environment, while also learning the importance of sustainability, preservation, and appreciation of “place.” Tucked in the safety of a small Vermont village on a 450-acre campus, students are never far from the natural environment around them. From ski hills, rivers, and hiking trails, to local farms and the sugar bush, students are exposed to the serenity of the rural Vermont experience. Most of Vermont Academy’s longest-held traditions celebrate Vermont’s resources and encourage students to understand and enjoy the importance of nature in their well-being and for the preservation of our Earth.