The Academy at Charlemont

The Academy believes that the academic, liberal arts tradition is a challenging, intellectually stimulating ground on which young people can both learn to use their minds well, and furnish those minds with the kind of broad, basic knowledge needed to succeed in college and as citizens of the world. We believe in emphasizing connections among the academic disciplines because "real world" challenges require citizens to think beyond the discrete boundaries of academic disciplines, to look at things from many different angles. We believe that a school community based on values- self-reliance, industry, integrity, and compassion - encourages development of intellectual and social standards that reflect those values. We believe that affirming the uniqueness of each individual and at the same time insisting that individuals subscribe to a set of commonly held standards - civility, respect, concern for others - produces a healthy tension that helps students learn, grow, and become productive citizens.

We’ll not be able to capture the unique spirit, vitality, and humor of Academy life on this website. When you come to visit you’ll immediately be struck by the physical beauty of our rural setting, the friendliness and civility of our community, the amount of laughter one hears, and the respect for learning one observes. In and of its place, The Academy’s school meeting is modeled on the New England town meeting, a democratic institution where each citizen is encouraged to find their voice and speak their mind.