If you haven’t been on campus lately, you might have missed some new growth happening on the Barrett Outdoor Campus. The Barrett land, adjacent to Thetford Academy and abutting the Thetford Hill State Forest, was acquired by TA in 2015. Since then, the land has become a lively hub for outdoor...
Dear TA Families & Students, Spring is always a whirlwind time of year in a school, as we all aim to stay focused on teaching and learning in the present term, while simultaneously prepping for year-end events and the fall semester. It's like surfing two waves at once! For students (except seniors),...
We at TA are going have to learn how to share Scott Ellis. As many have heard by now, Scott was recently hired by the Aloha Foundation to be the director of the Ohana Family Camp, starting with this summer's season. This is a very exciting career move for Scott – it...
Dear TA Families & Students, This one-year pandemic anniversary is intense, isn't it? To go back a year and realize just how little we knew what was coming and how long it would last can make one's head spin. Despite 12 months of navigating life and school through a pandemic, we have...
On Wednesday, Nov. 18, New Hampshire PBS aired "Outdoor Classroom," a new episode of its Willem Lange-hosted show, Windows to the Wild. The show explores how Thetford Academy's culture of outdoor and experiential learning set the stage for a successful reopening amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Featuring TA's Thetford Outdoor...
Due to the current covid-19 health crisis, Thetford Academy has made the final decision to postpone TOP Summer programming scheduled for June and July of 2020. Both the rock climbing and backpacking trips have been cancelled, with the goal of resuming these option in 2021. The Connecticut River canoe...
PLEASE READ: UPDATE ON TOP Summer Programs, April 16, 2020.TOP summer programs fill up fast - enroll today to ensure your child can be a part of the adventure! Trail Crew, June 15-19 Students must first apply and interview for a position with the TOP Trail Crew. Participants will be hired...
Late this fall, just before the snow overtook campus, Brattleboro-based High 5 Adventure Learning was onsite installing a low ropes challenge course at Thetford Academy. The course, located on the Barrett property adjacent to the Thetford Hill State Forest, has twelve features that will challenge students to think creatively, work...
Rain, drizzle, and overcast skies didn't dampen the spirits of Chris Schmidt's 2018 Timber Framing class as students completed most of the second phase of their two-year project to build an outdoor classroom during "Raising Day" on Friday, April 27. On that day, the class erected two bents, connecting girts, shed posts,...
In the last week of September, the Environmental Studies and Outdoor Education class created a 20-foot diameter yurt platform. Building the platform was a class project that pushed the students to learn new skills, work as a team, and take part in building their future outdoor classroom. The platform is...