History

The Sharon Academy > About TSA > History

History of The Sharon Academy

1995

The Sharon Academy (TSA) began as a dream of its founder, Judy Moore, one afternoon on her back porch overlooking the White River. The idea was to open a school with high academic standards where students would feel safe; a place where students came first, were able to be themselves, to be accepted socially, and to be challenged academically. TSA would be a place where students were able to take responsibility and to thrive.

TSA Middle School

1996

After a year of planning and negotiations with Town of Sharon and State of Vermont, TSA opened as a middle school in September of 1996 with twelve students. Judith Moore became the first Head of School and Language Arts teacher. Initial classroom space was in the basement of Town Offices, Sharon Congregational Church, and Vermont Law School. The 1921 Sharon Old School House was then renovated for classes.

One individual who was critical for these first steps to start a school was Jean Brockway, TSA’s founding board chair. It was Jean’s support of Judy’s idea and her connections to the Sharon community that paved the way for the new school. Learn more about Jean.

When students in the first class approached 8th grade graduation, and the prospect of transferring to high school, they expressed a desire to continue their education at TSA. 

1998

TSA Student Body 1998-99

The Vermont Department of Education approved the Academy’s application to expand to include grades 9–12 and The Sharon Academy was firmly established as a middle school and high school with over forty students. As the school’s good reputation spread throughout Vermont and New Hampshire’s Upper Connecticut River Valley, students continued to transfer to TSA, and enrollment numbers grew annually as a new grade was added. 

2001

  • TSA’s first graduate, Andy Shephard, walks after attending TSA for his senior year.

2002

Construction on TSA High School

The school population of eighty-five, including fifty-eight high school students, had outgrown the old schoolhouse, and construction began May 2002 on a new facility on a hill overlooking the same White River of its inception. Some of the high school classes were able to move to the new building with seven classrooms by the Fall. 

  • TSA High School graduates its first senior class, comprising four students.

2003

Judy Moore and Michael Livingston at the ribbon cutting for the high school

The full-sized gym was completed February 2003, which was used as classroom space during the day. Phase 2, comprising the main entry hall and four more classrooms, was completed by fall of 2003 to enable all high school classes to be together.

  • Overall enrollment is 135 students across six grades,
  • Class size is limited to 12–15 students.
  • Board now has 10 voting members.

Yurts are constructed for additional high school classrooms.

2004

During the summer, two yurts were built as temporary classrooms. The middle school continued to offer integrated studies at The Old Schoolhouse in Sharon village, while the high school included a beautiful full-sized gym, several outdoor yurt classrooms, art room, and science labs. The common area, Moore Hall, affectionately known as “The Pit,” brought in natural light through large windows which revealed the beauty of the campus and mountains. The Sharon Academy campus comprised 94 acres of valley and woodland, including many wonderful natural areas used by our students.

2005

Enrollment reached 156 a year ahead of schedule. We have deliberately capped enrollment at this level in keeping with the small school advantages of personalized programs, academic focus, parental involvement, flexibility and experiential curricula.

  • Approximately a third of our students are Sharon residents, while others travel 10-40 miles to attend.

2006

  • Founder Judy Moore steps down as Head of School and Assistant HOS Michael Livingston is named New Head.

Troy Wunderle

2007

  • Seven acres of land are purchased below the campus on Rte 14.
  • TSA Middle School launches its annual Circus, led by Troy Wunderle of Wunderle’s Big Top Adventures.

2009

  • TSA buys 80 acres of land abutting the northern boundary of the high school property. Total acreage is now approximately 100. 
  • Green house is built in the Spring of 2009.

2011

  • Soccer Wall is built Fall 2011.

2013

  • TSA offers special education support.

2014

  • Bio bus purchased Fall 2014.

2016

  • TSA shifts to open enrollment.

2017

  • TSA raises $1.5mm in The Next Twenty Years Fundraising Campaign to fund: 

Stagecoach is now servicing TSA students.

2018

Recognizing how much of a difference bus service would make to enable many of our students to attend our school, TSA introduced bus service, partnering with local public transportation service, Stage Coach. Additionally, bus transportation reduced the environmental impact of students traveling to and from TSA by reducing the number of cars.

2019

Dedication of the Lingelbach Woods at TSA High School.

Wednesday, October 16, was a beautiful fall day for The Sharon Academy to dedicate the “back 80” acres of woods behind the high school to former TSA board member and friend of the school, Jenepher Lingelbach, former TSA board member, poet, and environmental educator. The woods have become the centerpiece for outdoor experiential learning, with trails created by students as part of their educational curriculum.

Mary Newman and Michael Livingston

2020