About CVA
Strategic Plan
Dear CVA Community,
Over the last few months, we have updated you on our progress regarding the development of CVA’s next strategic plan. It is with appreciation and gratitude that we thank you, our CVA community, for your continued support and for sharing your important perspectives as the Board of Trustees and Strategic Planning Steering Committee began its work alongside our consultant, Tracy Bennett of Educators Collaborative. The Committee spent five months conducting a comprehensive review of information from stakeholders and assessing CVA's current and future opportunities and challenges, all with the goal of advancing the school's mission, while shaping its legacy and future. We are pleased to announce that this spring, the Board of Trustees adopted “In Pursuit of Dreams: Elevating the CVA Experience” as the next strategic plan for CVA.
This strategic plan focuses on six pillars that will elevate CVA’s ability to deliver world-class competitive skiing and snowboarding alongside rigorous college-preparatory academics, enabling students to excel both athletically and academically while developing character and life skills that extend far beyond their time at CVA. The six pillars are:
A significant step in implementing this strategic plan is currently underway, as we are already addressing our first pillar: Maximize Student-Athlete Potential. Recently, CVA broke ground on our new and highly anticipated High Performance Center (HPC) project, which is an addition to the existing Anti-Gravity Complex. This new state-of-the-art fitness and wellness center is designed to enhance all aspects of human performance while also helping to attract and retain a diverse student body. We will keep the community updated on the progress as we continue through the summer and look to open the new High Performance Center during the 2025-26 school year.
This is an exciting moment in the history of CVA. The school is poised to build on its proven strengths, seize opportunities for growth, and support student-athletes in pursuing their full potential, while preparing them for lifelong success. It’s clear that investing in our program and our people will ensure long-term success for CVA as well. This strategic plan serves as a roadmap for CVA and is a living document that will be revisited by the Board of Trustees annually and will be updated, as necessary, in response to evolving factors. Finally, we want to express deep appreciation to the Strategic Planning Steering Committee and the Board of Trustees for developing a strategic plan that outlines a vision for advancing CVA that will be incredibly impactful for years to come.
Sincerely and with gratitude,
Alex Godomsky '91
Head of School
Pete Smith '08
Chair, Board of Trustees
Over the last few months, we have updated you on our progress regarding the development of CVA’s next strategic plan. It is with appreciation and gratitude that we thank you, our CVA community, for your continued support and for sharing your important perspectives as the Board of Trustees and Strategic Planning Steering Committee began its work alongside our consultant, Tracy Bennett of Educators Collaborative. The Committee spent five months conducting a comprehensive review of information from stakeholders and assessing CVA's current and future opportunities and challenges, all with the goal of advancing the school's mission, while shaping its legacy and future. We are pleased to announce that this spring, the Board of Trustees adopted “In Pursuit of Dreams: Elevating the CVA Experience” as the next strategic plan for CVA.
This strategic plan focuses on six pillars that will elevate CVA’s ability to deliver world-class competitive skiing and snowboarding alongside rigorous college-preparatory academics, enabling students to excel both athletically and academically while developing character and life skills that extend far beyond their time at CVA. The six pillars are:
- Maximize Student-Athlete Potential
- Optimize and Integrate the Learning and Training Environments
- Expand our Reach
- Empower and Invest in Our Team
- Expand Philanthropic Support: Ensure the CVA Legacy
- Champion Community Inside and Out
A significant step in implementing this strategic plan is currently underway, as we are already addressing our first pillar: Maximize Student-Athlete Potential. Recently, CVA broke ground on our new and highly anticipated High Performance Center (HPC) project, which is an addition to the existing Anti-Gravity Complex. This new state-of-the-art fitness and wellness center is designed to enhance all aspects of human performance while also helping to attract and retain a diverse student body. We will keep the community updated on the progress as we continue through the summer and look to open the new High Performance Center during the 2025-26 school year.
This is an exciting moment in the history of CVA. The school is poised to build on its proven strengths, seize opportunities for growth, and support student-athletes in pursuing their full potential, while preparing them for lifelong success. It’s clear that investing in our program and our people will ensure long-term success for CVA as well. This strategic plan serves as a roadmap for CVA and is a living document that will be revisited by the Board of Trustees annually and will be updated, as necessary, in response to evolving factors. Finally, we want to express deep appreciation to the Strategic Planning Steering Committee and the Board of Trustees for developing a strategic plan that outlines a vision for advancing CVA that will be incredibly impactful for years to come.
Sincerely and with gratitude,
Alex Godomsky '91
Head of School
Pete Smith '08
Chair, Board of Trustees
Carrabassett Valley Academy has stood as a beacon of excellence in academics and athletics for more than four decades. Founded in the rugged beauty of the Maine mountains and fortified by the dedication of our community, CVA remains true to its beginnings and continues to empower student-athletes to achieve remarkable heights—from Olympic podiums to successful careers across diverse fields.
As we look to the future, we recognize that the competitive snow sports and education landscape continues to evolve—requiring adaptability, innovation, and long-term planning. Grounded in our current financial strength, this plan charts a path to ensure long-term sustainability. This solid financial foundation enables us to invest confidently in the pillars essential to our continued success—our people and our programs.
CVA’s mission is clear: to empower student-athletes to pursue their dreams by balancing world-class competitive skiing and snowboarding with rigorous college-preparatory academics. While we celebrate academic and athletic achievement, our ultimate measure of success is nurturing extraordinary human beings—guided by our core values of kindness, respect, commitment, and gratitude.
This Strategic Plan is a vision for CVA’s future and outlines a roadmap for the next five years. The Plan’s goals and initiatives will build upon our strengths, advance our programmatic excellence, and strategically expand our reach. Through intentional investment in our community, programs, and facilities—all rooted in prudent financial stewardship—we will provide an unparalleled environment where student-athletes can pursue their dreams, develop their intellect and character, and prepare for lifelong success.
The CVA experience is defined by the purposeful integration of world-class athletic training and rigorous college-preparatory academics. Our academic and athletic programs are designed to work in tandem, providing structured support that enables students to excel in both arenas. Through this balanced approach, students not only achieve their goals on the mountain and in the classroom - they also develop the character, discipline, and life skills that prepare them for success far beyond their time at CVA.
List of 3 items.
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Maximize Student-Athlete Potential
Developing and maximizing potential at CVA and for life through enhancing academic programs, athletic training, and facilities to provide CVA student-athletes with an edge to succeed. Optimizing individual student-athlete potential will further support enrollment and retention objectives.- Routinely evaluate and evolve our academic programming to enhance student-learning outcomes to ensure relevance, and equip student-athletes to thrive in an ever-changing global landscape.
- Elevate student-athlete excellence with improved fitness and wellness programs focusing on mental health, mindset, and the psychology of sport; stress management; discipline; perseverance; physical training and performance; rehabilitation; and the CVA core values of kindness, respect, commitment, and gratitude.
- Deliver programmatic enhancements that attract and retain a diverse student body by completing the High Performance Center, a state-of-the-art fitness and wellness center designed to improve all aspects of human performance.
- Extend student programming, including intentional character education and leadership development, that fosters an inclusive community - in alignment with CVA’s core values.
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Optimize and Integrate the Learning and Training Environments
Enhance, expand, and leverage the CVA facilities and campus through thoughtful master planning in alignment with identified future programmatic and operational needs.- Conduct a needs assessment study to identify current and future programmatic, training, and employee housing needs.
- Engage in master planning to identify and prioritize future possibilities and expansion opportunities, and to centralize student services and programming.
- Leverage on-campus and area training venues to increase and strengthen skill development, reduce travel expenses, and generate auxiliary income.
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Expand Our Reach
Enrich CVA's year-round, weekend, and auxiliary programs to highlight the unique CVA student-athlete experience that differentiates CVA from other snow sports academies, and improve access across financial and geographic areas.- Enhance full school year and auxiliary programming in all disciplines to explore addition always to increase revenue and raise the appeal of the nine-month experience.
- Deepen partnerships and expand outreach to additional clubs in support of regional athletic development.
- Implement solutions to reduce financial barriers for young snow sport athletes.
- Amplify and vigorously communicate the distinctive features and outcomes of the CVA experience to broaden student recruitment.
Kevin Burns, P ’04, Honorary Trustee, Former Chair, Board of Trustees
The vision for the future of CVA is sound and the foundation is strong. Implementing this Strategic Plan will be transformative for the CVA community.
At the heart of Carrabassett Valley Academy’s success is the people - with student-athletes at the core. CVA is a vibrant community of dedicated educators, coaches, staff, and supporters who are invested in the students and mission - each and every day.
List of 3 items.
-
Optimize and Integrate the Learning and Training Environments
Enhance, expand, and leverage the CVA facilities and campus through thoughtful master planning in alignment with identified future programmatic and operational needs.- Conduct a needs assessment study to identify current and future programmatic, training, and employee housing needs.
- Engage in master planning to identify and prioritize future possibilities and expansion opportunities, and to centralize student services and programming.
- Leverage on-campus and area training venues to increase and strengthen skill development, reduce travel expenses, and generate auxiliary income.
-
Expand Philanthropic Support: Ensure the CVA Legacy
Inspire broad and sustainable philanthropic support of the CVA mission through further developing community connections and improving cultivation and stewardship.- Develop a comprehensive donor engagement strategy, including systems in support of current and future fundraising objectives.
- Strengthen alumni engagement to celebrate alumni achievements, build long-term connections, and increase support for the school.
- Assess feasibility and prepare for a capital campaign to implement the campus master plan and identified needs.
- Establish and implement a strategy for endowment growth to further financial sustainability.
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Champion Community Inside and Out
Strengthen and expand our community by enhancing student experiences within and beyond the boundaries of campus, and communicating the positive impact of the CVA experience.- Foster strong connections within CVA and the greater community that support retention and generate additional pathways for engagement and future enrollment.
- Form and highlight strategic, mutually-beneficial relationships with local organizations and businesses for civic engagement, service learning, programming, and student internship opportunities.
- Celebrate the positive impact and outcomes of the CVA experience by broadly sharing the distinct successes of students and alumni.
Earle Morse, P'09, P '13, Former Chair, Board of Trustees
CVA is moving forward from a position of strength. This plan will continue the CVA mission and instill important values in students and alumni for many years.
Bill Karn ’05, Committee Co-chair, Trustee
Shelby MacLeod P ’26, P ’30, Committee Co-chair, Trustee
Alex Godomsky ’91, P ’22, P ’27, Head of School
Pete Smith ’08, Chair, Board of Trustees
Sean Dundon, Vice Chair, Board of TrusteesTim Flight ’95, Secretary, Board of Trustees
Lindy MacKinnon Gruen ’92, Trustee
Erik Kankainen ’01, Treasurer, Board of Trustees
Vici Robinson, P ’92, GP ’97, Trustee
CVA student-athletes learn skills that serve them throughout their lives–goal setting, perseverance, hard work, and commitment. This plan will impact the whole student-athlete in deeper ways, and celebrate CVA alumni who are all over the world engaging in a wide-range of incredible endeavors.
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Carrabassett Valley Academy
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