The Sharon Academy

The TSA Mission

"The mission of The Sharon Academy is to nurture intelligent, independent, and creative thinking in a small school community, awakening students to their immense potential and the difference the can make in the world"

Accreditation

The Sharon Academy (TSA) is an approved 7 -12, independent day school. We are accredited by the State of Vermont and are members of The Coalition of Essential Schools and the Vermont Independent Schools Association.

About Us

The Sharon Academy prides itself on being an innovative, academically challenging school that offers the best of both private and public school education. We are an approved independent school, which means that although we are a private school, our tuition fees are paid by those Vermont towns that normally tuition students to area public schools. We offer a stimulating, academically challenging program in a small school environment.

The Academy opened as a Middle School with 12 students in one classroom in 1996. The goal was to create a school with high academic standards where students would feel safe - a place where students came first, where they were able to be themselves, be accepted socially, and challenged academically. TSA graduated its first class of four seniors in 2002. It grew to capacity by 2004/2005, and continues with approximately 30 students per grade in the high school.

Key Facts

• 100% of our students complete junior and senior exhibitions, required capstone projects that include in-depth research papers and presentations.
• 100% participate in weekly student-run community meetings.
• 100% complete at least 40 hours of community service per year as past of their graduation requirements.
• 96% participate in the annual musical during our interim.
• 60% participate in a team sport.
• 93% pursue post-secondary education within one year of graduation (87% at four-year institutions).
• 83% elect all four years of science, history, math, and foreign language courses.
• 75% are publicly funded.
• 23% will be first-generation college students according to the federal definition.
• At least 16% qualify for Dr. Dynosaur (a state health program for families with low incomes).
• 42% participate in outside courses or independent studies.
• 6% study abroad.
• More than half of our teachers hold advanced degrees.

Faculty

Our staff is made up of qualified professionals from diverse backgrounds. All of our teachers have enhanced their preparation through continued education. In fact, over sixty percent of our staff and faculty holds one or more advanced degrees. Please see our Faculty and Staff webpage in order to see a full list of current employees.

• Head of School: Michael Livingston
• Head of Middle School: Pamela Ward
• Assistant Head of School: Rob Stainton
• Administrative Manager: Janice Stumpf
• Bookkeeper: Joni Lyman
• Director of Development: Elly Boerke
• High School Guidance: Christa Wurm
• College Advising: Kimberly Barnhart
• Admissions: Rebecca Seibel

Curriculum

While completing graduation requirements, students may also pursue personal academic interests outside the tradition classroom through internships, outside courses, travel and independent study. Our curriculum and teaching practices are academically demanding, problem-focused and connected to real world endeavors.

Ability grouping is utilized only in mathematics and foreign language. All other classes are academically advanced and designed to challenge all students. We have no AP courses because our course offerings are already extremely demanding. We acknowledge outstanding academic performance with a High Honors designation when a student has maintained a 97% average for the duration of the course. Students who complete all of our upper level coursework and wish to pursue college credit may, beginning in January of their junior year, take one course a term at nearby Community College of Vermont or Dartmouth College. We award 1/2 credit for each completed college course.

Extra Curricular Activities

TSA believes in building community in all our activities: academic, athletic, dramatic, and artistic. We strive to offer experiences that will widen the horizons of our students and we encourage them to participate in all activities. Because we have made a concentrated effort to include the community in all areas, we have deliberately avoided such organizations that might exclude students. We therefore do not have a National Honor Society chapter, nor do we have student officers. We are striving to form a community in which staff and students all share a voice.

Graduation Requirements

Students are required to complete a minimum of 24 credits and fulfill TSA's community service requirement of a minimum of 40 hours per year. Students also complete and present two Graduation Exhibitions.

The Graduation Exhibitions contain written, visual and oral components. Exhibition assessment is based both on the written material and on the knowledge and skill demonstrated in an oral presentation before a committee of faculty and peers.

Students generally earn 6 ½ credits a year: six in-school credits and an outside half credit for physical education. Minimum diploma requirements include:

• 4 English credits
• 2 Foreign Language credits
• 3 History and Social Science (including 1 credit of United States History)
• 1 Art credit (including a half credit of visual arts)
• 3 Math credits
• 2 Physical Education credits
• 3 Science credits (including 2 Lab Science)
• 6 Elective credits

TSA advises all students to complete a total of 4 math, 4 science, 4 history, 4 foreign language and 2 art credits.

Class Rank and GPA Procedures

The Sharon Academy is dedicated to delivering an academically challenging and stimulating curriculum to students who are commited to academic success. We use the following values to determine a student's GPA, based on a four-point system where A is 4.0. Due to our small numbers, we do not calculate class rank. No courses are weighted.

O = Outstanding
E = Excellent
S = Satisfactory
U = Unsatisfactory
I = Incomplete

Post High School Plans:

Former graduates have earned acceptance to the following colleges and universities:

The Sharon Academy welcomes any student regardless of socio-economic, racial, ethnic, religious or cultural origin. The Academy is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.