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From the Head of School

Welcome to TA’s website! Whatever brings you here – whether you are a current or prospective student, a panther parent or grandparent, a TA alum, a community supporter, a curious educator, or just an interested Upper Valley neighbor – we hope you find stories, facts, and program information about Thetford Academy that are useful and compelling and that capture the unique and inspired nature of our school.

I use this page to feature my communications. Each Friday I send out a news update to the TA community, including parents, students, trustees, and faculty and staff. The Head of School page allows me to share my weekly letters and other blog posts with our wider world of TA supporters, alumni, and website visitors. Topics range from school reminders to program highlights. This past year or so, I’ve had to focus a lot on the logistics of how TA is navigating teaching and learning through the pandemic – but I promise it’s not all about COVID.

You can read more about me and my experience as an educator here: Carrie’s bio.

Thank you for visiting TA’s website and the Head of School page. Please be in touch with questions, suggestions, and ideas to share!

Carrie Brennan, Head of School
Thetford Academy
  • Dear TA Families, We had a fabulous day hiking, exploring, and enjoying the trails and peaks of nearby mountains on Friday. The weather cooperated to make the 45th annual TA Mountain Day a success. Enjoy this preliminary photo gallery. We will add more to the mix as we continue to collect and......

  • On Friday, September 22, a beautifully sunny first day of autumn, Thetford Academy students and staff headed out to six regional peaks for a day of hiking. We had perfect conditions for the 45th Frederick Torrey Mountain Day. For the first time since September 2019, the pandemic (with its many......

  • Dear TA Families, Today was a special day for our new high schoolers – the Class of 2027 – as they all participated in our annual 9th grade retreat. Fortunately, it was a beautiful autumn day (no rain!). Students spent the day outdoors on the TA south campus connecting as a......

  • The Thetford Academy Board of Trustees elected a new cohort of members for the start of the new fiscal year in July 2023. We welcome the five new trustees and thank them for their willingness to take on this important volunteer governance role. Visit the TA website, thetfordacademy.org/about-ta/board-of-trustees, to view......

  • Dear TA Families, Early Wins During our faculty meeting earlier this week, we each reflected on a ‘win’ we experienced during the first days of the new school year and took time for a few people to share out with their colleagues. Hearing the list of wins was inspiring. Student......

  • Dear TA Families, We hope the start of the new school year was a successful one for students and families alike. We saw lots of smiles and good energy on campus – we also know there might be some confusion, tiredness, or worry being expressed at home as well. The transition......

  • Good morning. I am Ms. Brennan, the Head of School, and I am excited to welcome each of you to the 2023-2024 school year! Coming together in assembly on the first day is a TA tradition. TA is more than a school – it’s a community. Not all schools can......

  • Congratulations and welcome to our fantastic cohort of teachers joining the TA team. The group includes five classroom teachers in the science, English, math, and world languages departments, along with three new special educators, with a balance of early career, mid career, and veteran educators. Tiffany Badams is joining the......

  • The following letter accompanied the back-to-school mailing, sent to families in mid-August. Dear Students and Families, Summer Greetings from Thetford Academy! That slight chill in the air some mornings now reminds us of the turn of seasons – which means the start of school is around the corner. While we......

  • Long-time teacher Joe Deffner was honored with the 2023 Peters Family Dedicated Employee Award at the end-of-year ceremonies in June. Initiated by TA educator and alum Ted Peters ‘63 in honor of his parents, this annual award spotlights a Thetford Academy employee for their deep commitment to nurture, support, and......

  • The following letter accompanied students’ final report cards of the year, which were mailed home on June 20. Dear Thetford Academy Parents, Caregivers, and Families, We didn’t let the rainy weather dampen our spirits for the finale of the year. On the last day of school, we came together as......

  • Dear TA Families, The 2022-2023 school year has come to a close, and what a finale it was!  Congratulations to the Class of 2023, who celebrated their graduation on Friday evening. The ceremony was held in the Vaughan Alumni Gymnasium due to the weather, and the skies cleared in time for......

Upcoming Events

October 2023

Monday October 2

3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
VB Golf @ CC of Barre
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
MS Soccer vs Lyme

Tuesday October 3

All Day
V Boys Golf @ Qualifiers
8:30 am – 10:00 am
TA @ Crossroads High School Fair
11:30 am – 12:00 pm
College Visit - Savannah College of Art & Design
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Girls Varsity Soccer vs Stowe
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
JV Boys Soccer @ Hartford

Wednesday October 4

4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Boys Varsity Soccer vs Stowe

Thursday October 5

11:30 am – 12:00 pm
College Visit - Suffolk University
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
JV Boys Soccer @ Oxbow
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
MS Soccer @ Hartland

Friday October 6

All Day
Faculty Inservice Day
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Girls Varsity Soccer vs Lamoille

Saturday October 7

All Day
XC @ Woods Trail! (gr 6-12)

our VALUES

Excellence

We set high expectations. we challenge all members of the school community to reach their highest potential.

Commitment

We value initiative, courage and dedication. We take personal responsibility for the goals we set and work hard to achieve them.

Cooperation

We work and learn together. We see teachers as coaches, students as team members, families as partners, and learning as practice and action.

Caring

We provide individuals with personalized support and guidance. We care about each other and the larger community.

Diversity

We respect differences among people. We welcome the contribution of varied perspectives to a rich and flexible school culture.