An independent school with a public purpose.
Our mission is to celebrate the unique worth of all students, to nurture their strengths, and to challenge them to fulfill their potential.
A supportive community that cares.
At Thetford Academy, students are part of a community that values citizenship and service. Every day, TA encourages students to use their strengths to help make the world a better place.
Dedicated teachers who inspire.
At Thetford Academy, you will find truly excellent teachers, recognized by their peers regionally and nationally for the quality of their instruction and dedication to students.
Students who live what they learn.
For 200 years, Thetford Academy has taught students through thinking and doing. Experiential learning is central to TA's teaching philosophy and curriculum. It's part of our DNA.
TA Drama Releases Virtual Fall Play, "Sorry, Wrong Number"
Thetford Academy Drama introduces its first-ever virtual fall play, the murder mystery "Sorry, Wrong Number." Performed entirely on Google Meet, with post-production support from TA alum and CATV Studio Producer & Education Outreach Coordinator Chico Eastridge, Fall Play students have created something entirely new for their virtual audience.
Based on the critically acclaimed radio play by Lucille Fletcher, "Sorry, Wrong Number" first premiered in 1943. A version produced for the CBS radio series "Suspense" received … read moreNovember 25, 2020
We are thankful for...YOU!
Each year before the Thanksgiving break, Thetford Academy has a tradition of lining the halls with gratitude. And though it's been an unusual and often difficult year, we were glad to be able to keep this important tradition of "thankful cards" going. It's heartwarming to see students' colorful, handwritten cards everywhere and it makes us especially grateful for all of the wonderful people in our school community. Thank you!
… read moreNovember 24, 2020
Thetford Academy Featured in "Windows to the Wild"
On Wednesday, Nov. 18, New Hampshire PBS aired "Outdoor Classroom," a new episode of its Willem Lange-hosted show, Windows to the Wild. The show explores how Thetford Academy's culture of outdoor and experiential learning set the stage for a successful reopening amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Featuring TA's Thetford Outdoor Program coordinator Scott Ellis, a host of TA students, and interviews with TA educators Joe Deffner, Len Whitaker, Karen Heinzmann, and Chris Schmidt, we learn … read moreNovember 19, 2020
TA Cross Country 2020 Season Round-up
Congrats to TA's girls cross-country team for earning runner-up status at Vermont's D-III Championships held at TA on October 31. Madelyn Durkee led the team, crossing the line in 3rd place in the division and an impressive 7th overall in the combined D-I, D-II, D-III results. Ninth-grader Annie Hesser finished 12th in D-III, followed by sophomore Abby Egner in 16th, captain and senior Layla Hanissian in 17th, sophomore Jada Rich in 19th, and ninth-graders Mary … read moreNovember 17, 2020
TA Student Digs Up History in Fairlee
There's an old homestead in the forests of Fairlee, VT unearthing clues to the town's early history. Archeologist and Fairlee resident Dr. William Fitzhugh recently embarked on a mission to protect the area from logging and begin a careful excavation of its long-buried artifacts. Dr. Fitzhugh, senior scientist and curator of the Smithsonian's North American Archeology and Director of its Arctic Studies Center, invited local high school students to join him at the site.
Kai Harris, … read moreNovember 16, 2020
Head of School Weekly Email: Key Dates, COVID Update & a Short Reflection
Dear TA Families & Students,
Here is the Friday round-up. Three topics to highlight for you as we wrap up this week:
1. Virtual Parent Nights & Other Key Dates
High School Parent Night - Nov. 19, 7:00-8:30pmSpecial Half Day Remote Schedule - Friday, Nov. 20Thanksgiving Break - Wednesday, Nov. 25-Sunday, Nov. 29Middle School Parent Night - Dec. 3, 7:00-8:30pmSpecial Half Day Remote Schedule - Friday, Dec. 4
Please note: We will share links and details with high school … read moreNovember 13, 2020
TA Virtual Open House: Nov. 12
Thetford Academy is hosting a Virtual Open House for prospective students and their families on Thursday, November 12 at 7 p.m.With representatives from our faculty, our parent community, and our student body, we hope to provide families a fun and informative overview of Thetford Academy's programs, followed by an interactive Q & A session.Please direct any questions to our Enrollment Coordinator, Molly Dugan-Sullivan at molly.dugan-sullivan@thet.net or by phone at (802)-785-4805 x202.Register now: www.thetfordacademy.org/open-house. We look … read moreNovember 10, 2020
11/5 Virtual College Information Night - Recording
On Thursday, November 5, the TA Counseling Department hosted a virtual college information session for seniors and their families. Topics included the college application process, financial aid, and scholarship information. The event was recorded and can be viewed here. Questions about this event or any of the topics covered should be referred to our TA Counseling Office staff Mark Pichette or Molly Dugan-Sullivan.
… read moreNovember 9, 2020
Q1 Report Card Mailing - Letter from Head of School
November 6, 2020
Dear Thetford Academy Parents and Guardians,
This letter and the enclosed report card for 1st quarter are important reminders that we have arrived at the half-way mark of this unusual fall semester.
Behind each letter grade are nine weeks of experiences, assignments, honed skills and new knowledge. Please take time with your student to talk about the report card. Use it as an opportunity to reflect together on the first couple months of the school year: What … read moreNovember 6, 2020
Head of School Weekly Email: Contingency Plans for Campus Closure Days
Dear TA Students & Families,
With the season's first snowfall this morning, along with the news in recent weeks of COVID cases in schools as close to us as Lyme and Lebanon, we need to be prepared for occasions later this fall and winter when we might need to cancel the on-campus school day experience at TA and shift to fully remote instruction.
The need to do this could occur for a variety of reasons, including inclement … read moreOctober 30, 2020
Head of School Weekly Email: Travel Guidance & Holiday/Winter Planning
Dear TA Families & Students,
Today marks the end of our 7th week of the school year. All things considered, the fall semester at TA has gone relatively smoothly thus far. We continue to welcome the 75% of our student body who are choosing to study on campus each day, and we are grateful to have had no cases of COVID to date. I want to thank each of you in the TA community for helping us arrive … read moreOctober 23, 2020
TA Students Join "Regeneration Corps"
Eight Thetford Academy students recently participated in the pilot launch of Regeneration Corps, a Vermont-based "learning movement supporting youth in gaining the hands-on skills necessary to transition from an extractive culture to one that is regenerative."
The two immersive sessions, hosted at Thetford's Cedar Circle Farm, were an opportunity for students to get off campus and get their hands dirty–while also engaging in important dialogue about regenerative agriculture, climate change, Just Transition principles, and racial … read moreOctober 23, 2020
Technology Resources at TA
Effective, creative, and safe use of technology is essential to student learning and especially critical in the current hybrid learning environment. We are excited to share some changes in our media and technology staffing designed to help students, parents, and teachers get the most out of digital learning and technology resources at TA.
The new tech team, IT technician Marisa Cotilletta (backend and network guru) and librarian Kate Owen (media and software use maven), … read moreOctober 20, 2020
Head of School Weekly Email: Survey Data, Quarter 1 Timeline, Student Opportunities
Dear TA Families & Students,
A few notes of gratitude to start off my weekly email:
Thank you to the 139 parents/guardians and 161 students who completed our mid-quarter survey a few weeks ago. I have prepared a summary of survey results to share - click here to view.Kudos to our on-campus students for continued compliance with the many COVID requirements this year, such as wearing masks and spending time outdoors (even on cool rainy days like today!).Last Friday … read moreOctober 16, 2020
The Mountain Day Challenge
Friday, September 18 would have been Thetford Academy's 42nd annual Mountain Day and we are disappointed that we won't be able to climb with our students this year.
Traditionally on Mountain Day, each grade tackles one mountain per year, with the goal of having hiked each of the six peaks by the time they graduate from TA. Beginning in 7th grade, students hike Mt. Cube, Black Mountain, Smarts Mountain, Cardigan Mountain, Mt. Ascutney, … read moreSeptember 17, 2020
TA Together Again - First Week of Faculty In-Service
On Monday, Thetford Academy's full faculty returned to campus for the 2020-2021 school year. With a delayed school start date and the COVID-19 pandemic upending everything "usual" about teaching and learning, TA's in-service this year will run two weeks instead of its normal few days. This much-needed additional time is helping TA educators prepare for a positive, safe, and successful reopening for students on Sept. 8.
Training sessions and meetings during the first week of inservice … read moreAugust 29, 2020
Fall Reopening Handbook for Thetford Academy
This resource is available for viewing and downloading - LINK to document. The handbook is a dynamic document and will be updated to reflect further developments in the academic program, changes in Vermont guidance, and/or fluctuations in public health regionally. Please note the date on cover page that indicates latest date of revision.
Handbook introduction from Head of School Carrie Brennan:
Together we move into this new school year cautiously, creatively, and carefully. The COVID crisis has … read moreAugust 15, 2020
Head of School Community Email: Fall 2020 Plan Updates & Option Selection for Students
The following message was sent via email to TA parents and guardians on August 14.
Dear Thetford Academy Parents and Guardians,
I am writing today to share updates on our academic program this fall and to distribute the official form to indicate each student's option.
1. Start & End Times of the On-Campus Experience
The Thetford Academy on-campus experience on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays will be from 9:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m.Morning bus runs will arrive at approximately 9:15 and afternoon … read moreAugust 14, 2020
Head of School Community Email: New Start Date, Survey Request, Info Session Recording
This post was originally sent by email to TA families by Head of School Carrie Brennan on July 31, 2020.
Dear Thetford Academy Families,
Here is the latest news as we prepare for the fall semester:1. New Start Date - September 8 Governor Phil Scott issued an executive order this week, expected to be officially published on the AOE website today July 31, requiring all Vermont schools to push back their start date to Tuesday, September 8. The … read moreJuly 31, 2020
2020 Graduation in the Books!
On June 12 and 13, 2020, Thetford Academy celebrated this year's class of graduating seniors. On Friday, TA premiered a prerecorded version of its Class Day awards and performances, followed by the formal graduation ceremony. Both were aired on on YouTube and Facebook.
To celebrate in person, the Class of 2020 graduates led a car parade through Thetford, the route lined with alumni, family, neighbors and friends chering, making music, and celebrating from a safe distance. … read moreJuly 14, 2020
TA Deepens Its Commitment to Anti-Racism
The following was sent to the Valley News as a letter to the editor on July 8 and distributed to the TA community via email ...
Two recent graduates of Thetford Academy wrote an op-ed for the Valley News last week (“Vermonters, racism is here in our own backyard” by Raphael Orleck-Jetter and Emma Glazer) about the need for our society, including our school, to be more overtly anti-racist. We applaud them for adding their voices to the urgent call for … read moreJuly 8, 2020
Q4 Report Card Mailing - Letter from Head of School
Final report cards for the school year were mailed to students' homes the week of June 22, with the following cover letter included.
Dear Thetford Academy Parents and Families,
Sunsets are stretching until 8:30 these days and the fireflies are out after dark. Summer has officially begun!
I imagine all of us are welcoming changes in our routines this season, as we take a break from an intense period of remote learning. Thank you again for your … read moreJune 26, 2020
TA Celebrates Mr. Mellinger & Mr. Chapin with Employee of the Year Award
Thetford Academy honored two retiring faculty with the Peters Family Employee of the Year Award in June. Greg Mellinger and Ray Chapin are co-awardees of the 2020 Peters Family Employee of the Year Award. Both long-serving faculty members at Thetford Academy, Mr. Mellinger and Mr. Chapin are well-known and beloved among TA students and alumni for their engaging and skillful approach as teachers.
The annual award gives special recognition to an employee who demonstrates dedication to … read moreJune 30, 2020
Girls and Boys Track & Field Remain Defending State Champs
Vermont D-3 State Championship in Windsor, June 2019
Tribute to our Track & Field Seniors
Grace Davis
Grace graduates as the most decorated female field athlete in Thetford Academy history. She is the outdoor school record holder in the 100m hurdles, long jump, triple jump, high jump, and decathlon. She holds indoor school records in the long jump, triple jump, and high jump. She also holds the Vermont D-3 state record in the high jump at 5’5” and … read moreJune 11, 2020
June 2020 Student of the Month: Carter Banks
June’s Student of the Month can be described with many positive adjectives: polite, considerate, conscientious, hardworking, tenacious, and many more as you’ll see.
When challenges come his way, he doesn’t let them slow him down, rather, he seems to use them as fuel to drive him to even greater heights.
Tim Renner, an instructor at Hypertherm said: “For me the thing that stuck out most about him was his drive and his tenacity… I was amazed that not once … read moreJune 9, 2020
5 Faculty Voices in Response to Nationwide Protests for Racial Justice
On June 2, a handful of TA faculty and administrators came together swiftly to share their reflections and responses to national outrage over the killing of George Floyd - and the broader topics of racial justice, racism, and civil disobedience, to name a few.
Their recorded message was shared with the TA community - students, parents, and staff - via email on June 2, along with a statement from Head of School Carrie Brennan and TA … read moreJune 4, 2020
Message for the TA Community: Condemning Racism & Intolerance, Standing for Justice
During this challenging spring, as our nation deals with a global pandemic, we are also now reeling from recent acts of intolerance and racism, most notably the horrific death of George Floyd in Minneapolis at the hands of a uniformed police officer. Protestors crying out against racial injustice are rallying in small and large cities around the country, including in Vermont and New Hampshire.
Although at times some of us might feel removed from the violence … read moreJune 2, 2020
May Students of the Month: Jahirah Thurber and Lilian MacVeagh
Given that TA alternates between recognizing a junior and a senior as Student of the Month, May is the last opportunity to award a member of the Class of 2020. We couldn’t let this chance go by without awarding two particular seniors: JJ Thurber and Lily MacVeagh. Congratulations to both!
Jahirah Thurber, Class of 2020
JJ, Kate Owen, and Ms. Brennan on one of two school visits they made to learn from others in Vermont about advisories
JJ … read moreMay 29, 2020
Letter to Seniors: Siobhan Lopez
Dear Seniors,
I’m writing the first of what will be regular letters from some of the people at Thetford Academy who care about you. So many of us have wished we could let you know that we’re thinking about you and worrying that you might think you are forgotten in the midst of Quarantime (that’s Casey’s term for this period in history). This is how we have decided we can reach out to all of you to … read moreMay 7, 2020
Student of the Month April 2020: Emi Vaughan
The floodgates opened when an email went out soliciting input for April’s Thetford Academy Student of the Month Emi Vaughan. Some common themes quickly emerged and were summarized by Mr. Mann, who writes that Emi Vaughan is “a scholar, a natural leader, and one of the kindest people I have had the privilege of knowing.”
Mr. Deffner writes, “I don't think I have ever witnessed, or know of, Emi Vaughn being unkind to anyone. She accepts … read moreMay 18, 2020
“Consider that the mind is capable of an endless growth.”—Asa Burton, one of the founders, urging citizens of Thetford to establish TA in 1819We set high expectations. We challenge all members of the school community to reach their highest potential.Our mission is to celebrate the unique worth of all students, to nurture their strengths, and to challenge them to fulfill their potential.
