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TA juniors Morgan Busby, Joseph Dunn, Olivia Limlaw, and Bethany Maxfield were inducted into the National Technical Honor Society on Wednesday, March 27, 2019 at the River Bend Career and Technical Center. Shannon Hayes ('19), a 2018 inductee, administered the oath. The National Technical Honor Society honors the achievements of top career and technical education students, provides scholarships for higher education, and cultivates excellence in today’s competitive work force. Busby and Hayes are studying Health Science Technology, … read moreMarch 28, 2019 -
In February, Thetford Academy’s Elle Dixon ('20) was among the more than 10,000 international scientists who flocked to Washington D.C. for the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 2019 Annual meeting. Elle was there to present her own scientific research at a special American Junior Academy of Science (AJAS) poster session. Elle’s poster session was the culmination of weeks spent on data gathering and analysis that began last summer when Elle joined the … read moreMarch 26, 2019 -
Eloise Silver Van Meter placed third in the Vermont Poetry Out Loud State Championships held at Vermont PBS Studios in Colchester on March 18th. To reach the championship, Eloise first won TA's contest, then advanced from the semifinals at the Barre Opera House, and finally performed at PBS. Pictured: Eloise reciting Lani O'Hanlon's "Back up Quick They're Hippies," while delivering the line "long-haired men and women / curled around each other like babies." Eloise also … read moreMarch 20, 2019 -
In his over 44 years of service in the United States Senate, Vermont’s Senator Patrick Leahy has played a role in many iconic moments in American history. A prolific photographer, Senator Leahy has often used the lens of his camera to capture his personal perspective of these events. In an intimate evening in the Martha Jane Rich Theater at Thetford Academy, Senator Leahy will share some of his favorite photographs and reflect … read moreMarch 18, 2019 -
Scott Shipman, MD, MPH, will speak at Thetford Academy on Thursday, March 28, as part of the school's Bicentennial Speaker Series. Shipman, who serves as the Director of Clinical Innovations and Director of Primary Care Initiatives at the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), also holds faculty positions at Dartmouth Hitchcock and the Dartmouth Institute. Shipman's talk, titled "The Future of Primary Care: Transforming to Meet the Needs of Our Communities" will explore the challenges … read moreMarch 13, 2019
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Congratulations to the cast and crew of "Who Am I This Time" for their performance at the Regional Drama Festival on Saturday, March 9, at Mill River High School in Clarendon, VT. Their production was selected to advance to the State Finals on April 5 and 6 at Essex High School in Essex, VT. Individual awards for Excellence in Acting were given to Alden Nichols and Morgan Gaffney. The One Act Club would like to thank everyone who attended the community performances and offered such … read moreMarch 11, 2019 -
At the Vermont Semifinal Poetry Out Loud contest, held at Barre Opera House on March 7th, Eloise Silver Van Meter advanced to the State Championships, along with nine other students. Thirty-one school winners recited two poems each. Eloise recited Lani O'Hanlon's "Back Up Quick They're Hippies" and Brenda Cárdenas's "Zacuanpapalotls" (which means "Butterflies" in ancient Aztec). Eloise is now the third TA student to move on to the championships in the ten years that TA … read moreMarch 8, 2019 -
TA parent, Thetford resident, author, and soil health expert Didi Pershouse gave a presentation to Mr. Whitaker's Horticulture class about the "soil carbon sponge." With a simple experiment, she demonstrated the importance of healthy soils in our ecological communities. In the experiment, Pershouse invited students to "rain" onto flour (a stand-in for degraded soil) and then onto bread (a stand-in for healthy soil). Pershouse then showed them a photo of a rain simulator (below), demonstrating … read moreMarch 14, 2019 -
Vermont Governor Phil Scott, Attorney General TJ Donovan also speak Three hundred students listened intently during a special assembly program on Tuesday, Feb. 26, as former New Hampshire Chief Justice John Broderick addressed Thetford Academy students on the topic of mental illness. Special guests for the presentation included Vermont Governor Phil Scott and Attorney General TJ Donovan, both of whom spoke briefly following the judge's remarks. Also present were Dan French, Vermont Secretary of the Agency … read moreFebruary 26, 2019 -
On Friday, Feb. 8, Thetford Academy turned 200 years old! Students celebrated the school’s birthday in style, with an all-day Founders’ Day and Founders’ Night extravaganza. Other posts describe the school's Bicentennial Gala on Feb. 9 and Vermont Historic Marker dedication on Feb. 8. Chico Eastridge ’05, Studio Producer & Education Outreach Coordinator at CATV in White River Junction, VT, produced an outstanding Founders' Day film for Thetford Academy. Click here for the YouTube video. Despite … read moreFebruary 15, 2019 -
At noon on the day of Thetford Academy's 200th birthday — Friday, Feb. 8, 2019 — Virginia Anderson Barrett ’51, daughter of legendary TA Principal Carl Anderson (1925-1961) and wife of the late TA Headmaster Ruel Barrett (1961-1977), unveiled the Town of Thetford’s first Vermont Historical Marker in a ceremony on Academy Road. Marking the site of the original Thetford Academy campus, the first building of which opened its doors for the first time on Feb. 8, … read moreFebruary 15, 2019 -
Carrie Brennan, the founding principal of an innovative public charter school in Arizona and an accomplished educator, has been named the next head of Thetford Academy. She will assume her new position on July 1, 2019. “I am absolutely thrilled that Carrie will lead Thetford Academy,” says Ann Bumpus, President of the Thetford Academy Board of Trustees. “Her record of accomplishment and commitment to academic excellence, inclusivity, community engagement, and collaborative leadership builds … read moreFebruary 5, 2019 -
By Marc Chabot, Dean of Academics and Robotics Team Advisor Featured Photo: The winning team: Isaiah Kol and Marshall Melancon and their robot BeefCake, along with their alliance partner from Team 603A, Belmont, NH. In case you were wondering how Thetford Academy’s 9th season is going, here is an update! Saturday was our last tournament before the State Championship in two weeks, and all three of our teams have qualified during the course of the season. Our teams almost always make it to the elimination rounds … read moreFebruary 4, 2019 -
Scott Finn, Vermont Public Radio's new president & CEO, joins Thetford Academy's Bicentennial Speaker Series to discuss the role of public media in America.Finn's talk, titled "Filling the Gap: How Public Media Can Respond to a Decline of Reporters," addresses the nearly 50 percent decline in reporters in Vermont the last two decades, a decline that mirrors the rest of country. "Meanwhile," says Finn, "We are increasingly confronted with confusing and even false stories online." … read moreFebruary 4, 2019 -
Basketball standout Kiana Johnson, a senior from Chelsea, scored her 1000th point during the TA vs. U-32 varsity basketball matchup on Friday, Feb. 1. Kiana, who transferred to TA at the beginning of the school year after Chelsea's high school closed, hit her 997th, 998th, 999th, and 1000th career points with four consecutive free throws, as an enthusiastic crowd provided a respectful silence while she concentrated at the line. The Panthers went on to win … read moreFebruary 2, 2019 -
Every morning, when most TA students are stealing that last five minutes of sleep, this intrepid member of our bicentennial class has already been on the road for an hour, proving each day that it’s possible to commute to Thetford from almost Canada and to be an incredibly successful student. And we’re grateful that she chose us. Her positive outlook, her intellect, her great sense of humor and her tremendous work ethic make Maeve Curtin a special panther and a valued … read moreJanuary 30, 2019 -
Hypertherm and FUJIFILM Dimatix, two Lebanon, N.H., businesses, celebrated 15 Thetford Academy and Lebanon High School students' achievements upon their successful completion of the inaugural STEM High Tech Manufacturing Internship program on Tuesday night, Jan. 15. The internship was an unequivocal success. During the program finale, which took place at Hypertherm's 71 Heater Road facility in Lebanon, each participating student presented his or her outtakes from the semester-long internship in three- to five-minutes speeches. Audience … read moreJanuary 17, 2019 -
Bicentennial Speaker Series: Derrick E. White, Ph.D., Monday, Jan. 21 @ 7 p.m. TA will celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 21, with a Bicentennial Speaker Series presentation by Professor Derrick E. White, entitled “Making a King: The Contested Legacies of a Civil Rights Icon.” This special event, free and open to the public, will take place at the Martha Jane Rich Theater at 7 p.m. Visiting Associate Professor of African & African American Studies in the Department of History at Dartmouth College, Professor White is a scholar of … read moreJanuary 3, 2019 -
Jake Colby began the Thetford Academy - Montpelier home varsity basketball game on Saturday, Dec. 22, determined to reach his 1000th point. Coming into the game with 990 combined career points for Chelsea High School (grades 9-11) and Thetford Academy (grade 12), he was ready to get the milestone done and over with ... and with four fouls and approximately five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Jake made a short jump shot from … read moreDecember 23, 2018 -
Those in the course Sports and Society have created a new verb: “to Barnsdale.” It means to put 110% effort into a fictional story—because that’s just what our December Student of the Month did as Taxpayer #1 in a town meeting for the fictional municipality of Barnsdale. Yes, Tyler Wojcik is this month’s honoree! Recurring themes when it comes to this kind-hearted junior are his earnestness and his appreciation for the learning process. Mrs. Barton praises … read moreDecember 20, 2018 -
The 8th annual Mr. Thetford Academy Pageant—a beauty pageant/talent show spoof —featured land-kayaking to the sounds of a river, a Michael Jackson moonwalk, a wrestling match between a brother and a sister, and plenty of corny jokes, as 11 contestants and their escorts competed for the Mr. TA crown. Along the way, the packed house heard from Adelit Rukomangana, a survivor of the 1994 Rwandan genocide; witnessed the contestants field challenging, on the spot questions; and … read moreDecember 9, 2018 -
The choral and instrumental music programs will perform their winter concert on Wednesday, Dec. 19, at 6:30 p.m. in the Martha Jane Rich Theater. Nacho plays electric guitar with his instrumental class. The band has been working hard preparing for the concert. Approximately 40 musicians in grades 7-12 will be playing pieces from a broad scope of styles and eras, including music from Bach, Tchaikovsky, Leroy Anderson, Mel Tormé, and Vince Guaraldi. A number of holiday classics … read moreDecember 14, 2018 -
TA's sugar shack is starting to take shape. Adjacent to the timber framed outdoor classroom just south of the student parking lot, the structure will be completed in the upcoming days — with several months of time to spare before this year's sugaring operation begins. With help from Mike Wells and Jere Linehan, Scott Ellis's Environmental Studies and Outdoor Education class leveled the foundation, built the floor and supporting walls, erected the roof trusses, and began … read moreNovember 30, 2018 -
Thetford Academy is among the nation’s 250 state finalists in the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow contest – a nationwide competition challenges students in grades 6-12 to apply STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) skills to find creative solutions to real-world issues impacting their local communities. Out of thousands of schools that entered the contest, the 250 state finalists — five from each state — were chosen based on their creative and strategic proposals to solve complicated … read moreNovember 29, 2018 -
Paper turkeys, paper plates, paper tablecloths, and plastic utensils adorned the tables, but the food was the real thing: delicious turkey, homemade mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, plenty of peas, and rolls — served free of charge to all students and staff on the last day of classes before Thanksgiving (Tuesday, Nov. 20). Casey Huling checks on the turkeys in the TA Café's kitchen. The idea of the Thanksgiving feast came from Special Education paraprofessional Becky Sarazin. The Student … read moreNovember 22, 2018 -
The Thetford Historical Society’s Geography Bee celebrated TA’s Bicentennial this year by focusing the contest on TA and Thetford town history. It was a tough field - eight teams sparred in the adult division and five in the youth division, answering questions that might stump event the most dedicated Thetford historian. For example, do you know... Which school year did the TA boys varsity soccer team and the boys varsity basketball team both win State Division … read moreNovember 19, 2018 -
Len Whitaker's and Casey Huling's sections of 9th grade history classes have been studying ancient Greece. On Nov. 8-9, Mr. William Bugg visited as special guest star, presenting a two-day unit on Greek tragedy. He took the class on a deep dive into mythology, telling the stories of Cadmus, Oedipus Rex, and other tales from the House of Thebes. They then discussed the origins of tragedy, made paper masks modeled on ancient Greek theater masks, and … read moreNovember 15, 2018 -
In the fall of 2014 and 2015, Chris Schmidt's Timber Framing class built two new dugouts to replace deteriorating structures for the Panther baseball team. This fall, Chris's class has designed and, as of Oct. 30, erected the frame of the first of two dugouts for the Panther softball team. In September, the class of 12 students divided into three groups, each of which researched, designed, and constructed a scale model of a softball dugout. Using … read moreNovember 4, 2018 -
At times during the Thetford Academy - Vergennes Union High School Division III state championship game on Saturday, Nov. 3, it looked like intermittent heavy downpours would add an element of chance to the game. But the Panther girls' resiliency, superior ball-handling skills, and deep playoff experiences over the past three years didn't leave anything to chance — even as the ball and field conditions became slippery. An insurance goal was added midway through the second … read moreNovember 4, 2018 -
Boys Win State Behind Owen Deffner's First Place Finish; Girls Take Fifth It was snowy and cold and trail conditions were tough—but there was no stopping the Panthers at the VPA cross country state championship meet last Saturday. Owen Deffner '19 finished first in the D-III race with a time of 17 minutes, 42.1 seconds, leading the boys to an overall first place finish and the team's first state championship title since 2010. Ian Spelman finished fifth … read moreNovember 4, 2018
Academics
STEM
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics courses teach critical thinking, problem solving, and collaboration.
Humanities
Every day, students in English, World Languages, and Social Studies build their skills and confidence in reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
Arts
Thetford Academy’s wide selection of courses in visual, performing, and practical arts are an essential component in the TA curriculum.
Experiential Learning
Thetford Academy provides students with high quality, meaningful experiential learning opportunities through classes in every academic department.
Student Life
Clubs and Activities
Clubs and activities reflect the interests and passions of today’s students with a balance of traditional opportunities and new offerings.
Beyond the Classroom
From traditions and special events to travel and community service, the time our students spend outside the classroom deepens their learning and inspires personal growth.
Student Services
Advising, counseling, health, academic and social support are some of Thetford Academy’s strongest attributes.
Athletics
Thetford Academy is a Division III school and competes in the Northern Vermont Athletic Conference (NVAC) as a member of the Capital League.
