Welcome to Carrabassett Valley Academy

Philosophy, Approach, Advantages

CVA is the leader in delivering programs that enable students from 7th grade to Post-Graduate to obtain a rigorous college preparatory education while pursuing athletic aspirations. It's more than a school; it's a way of life shaped by the ruggedness of the terrain and environment.

The experience here is not found elsewhere, it's an experience that creates growth, opportunity, and choices. It's a full-on academic, athletic, and community experience that is life-changing.

We are student centered. We tap into a student’s passion for skiing/snowboarding, love of the outdoors and willingness to work hard. We use that passion to help a student achieve his/her personal best with the goal of creating the strongest high school resume, so upon graduation, he/she has the most post-secondary academic and athletic choices.

Carrabassett Valley Academy's program is a time tested integration of academics, athletics, and community providing a framework for students to become confident, independent advocates for themselves.

Multiple Ways to Attend

We strongly recommend all students attend CVA for as much of the school year as they are able.

Whether a shorter term is an option for a student depends on that student's athletic and academic goals, maturity and independence, and ability to handle transitions.

The family's needs and the home school's willingness to be helpful with the transitions are also important factors.

We welcome your input to help your student successfully make the transitions.

List of 4 items.

Full-year (nine-month) program; the traditional school year:

The nine-month program was designed with an essential balance between academics and athletics. In the fall term, students attend classes on Saturdays to prepare for the winter months. Students attending in the fall get in optimum physical shape from a sport specific dryland training program and they benefit from our Human Performance Program that focuses on age appropriate developmental training. The fall helps the student establish consistent study habits, aids in time managment skills, and helps build relationships with teachers before the busy winter months arrive. Important aspects of our responsible community living program are delivered in the fall and the close, family-like atmosphere encourages lasting relationships between students and faculty.

Students who attend CVA for the full year can rely on the academy’s college counseling services.
Seven-month program:

The student has two choices with the seven-month program: arrive at CVA in September and stay until early April, or arrive in November and stay until June. For the seven-month term, students are considered to be full-time CVA students and they participate in our program, which means they transfer into our academic and athletic curriculum. While students are here, CVA teachers are responsible for the course content, grades, and exams. Home schools award credit based on successful completion of course requirements for those students who arrive at CVA in September and return to their home schools in early April. CVA awards credit based on successful completion of course requirements for those students who arrive at CVA in November and stay until June.
Winter term (five-month) program:

Our five-month program begins in early November and ends in early April. This program accepts applications from 7th-12th grade students who have a B average and have compelling reasons to participate in the shortened program. For the five-month term, students are considered to be full-time CVA students and they participate in our program, which means they transfer into and are fully immersed in our academic and athletic curriculum. While students are here, CVA teachers are responsible for the course content, grades, and exams. Home schools award credit based on successful completion of course requirements.
Integration and transition with home schools:

When a family applies for the five-month term or seven-month term, we discuss the alignment of courses during the admissions interview. For example, if a student is taking geometry at home, he'd take it at CVA; biology at home, biology at CVA etc.

Students accepted into the five-month or seven-month term with a September arrival receive information in September that outlines, for each course, the concepts they will be studying at CVA for the five or seven months. The family reviews that information with home school teachers to develop a plan for the student to transition back in the spring.

For those students who arrive in November we ask their home school teachers to provide us with information about what the student has been studying in the fall to help us transition them into CVA.

Seniors who are at CVA for five or seven month winter term will need to rely upon their home school guidance counselor for those services and arrive at CVA with their applications completed.