| Vermont Commons School | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| 75 Green Mountain Dr. South Burlington, Vermont, USA |
|
| Information | |
| Type | Private |
| Motto | "Out of the classroom and into the world" |
| Established | 1997 |
| Chairman | Rebecca Coll |
| Headmaster | Peter Gilmore |
| Faculty | 27 |
| Grades | 7-12 |
| Number of students | 90 |
| Campus | Suburban |
| Color(s) | Green and gray |
| Mascot | Flying Turtles |
| Website | Vermont Commons School |
The Vermont Commons School is an independent college preparatory school located in South Burlington, Vermont, serving grades 7-12.
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The Vermont Commons School was founded in 1997 by former Champlain College President Dr. Robert A. Skiff, Robert A. Skiff Jr., and Leah Mital-Skiff.[1] During its first semester, 32 students were enrolled and the school grew steadily in size and offerings over the next ten years. In 2007, Dr. Skiff retired, at which point enrollment neared 100 students. Dr. Skiff was succeeded by Mr. Peter Ross, who served as Head of School through the fall of 2008. Upon Ross's departure, Science and Math teacher Hans Manske served as Acting Head while the Board of Trustees conducted a search for new leadership. In July 2009, the Board selected Mr. Peter Gilmore as their new Head of School. Mr. Gilmore had previously served as Principal of The Friends School of Baltimore, MD and Upper School Director at Berwick Academy in South Berwick, Maine. Vermont Commons School is known for its integrity, arts, challenging academics and friendly atmosphere, along with having a student-to-teacher ratio of 6:1. The school experienced a surge of new applicants in the 2010-2011 school year. In the 2011-2012 year the school celebrates its 15th year.
Vermont Commons School students experience a unique blend of academics and global immersion, master fundamental academic disciplines, grasp the profound interdependence of the natural and human systems they inhabit, and graduate with the values, knowledge, skills and commitment necessary to become ethical and engaged ecological citizens.
Since its founding in 1997, the campus has been located at 75 Green Mountain Drive in South Burlington, Vermont. The school purchased the building and property in the fall of 2010. Vermont Commons School has undergone renovations recently, and hopes to expand the campus, looking for further improvements in the future.
Classes are taught by grade, with larger grades broken into smaller sections. Grades range in size from 12 to 23 students.
Courses include Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, Foreign Languages (Spanish and Chinese). Many classes are held in a seminar style, with an average size of 14. The school offers Advanced Placement Courses in Biology, Environmental Science, Spanish Language and Literature, and Calculus. The school considers it's 'standard' rank classes to be on par with an Honor program in the public sector.
The school has gained national recognition for its community service programs.[2]
The average SAT scores for the 2009 graduating class were:
The school offers the following sports:
Fall:
Winter:
Spring:
The school is accredited by the Vermont Department of Education, and is a member of the Independent Schools Association of Northern New England (ISANNE). The school is currently seeking accreditation by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), and enrollment in NAIS the National Association of Independent Schools. Expected enrollment in these organizations will occur in late 2011.