About The Academy

The Academy is situated on the homeland of the Nipmuc, Wabanaki and Pocumtuc people. 

Welcome to The Academy at Charlemont. The Academy is a public-spirited independent school that combines the best of the classical academic tradition with a visible commitment to building and sustaining community. Most Academy students go on to college, and most of them live within fifty miles of Charlemont, a small town in rural Western Massachusetts.

The Academy believes that the academic, liberal arts tradition is a challenging, intellectually stimulating ground on which young people can both learn to use their minds well, and furnish those minds with the kind of broad, basic knowledge needed to succeed in college and as citizens of the world.

We believe in emphasizing connections among the academic disciplines because real world challenges require citizens to think beyond the discrete boundaries of academic disciplines, to look at things from many different angles.

We believe that a school community based on the values of self-reliance, industry, integrity, and compassion encourages the development of intellectual and social standards that reflect those values.

We believe that affirming the uniqueness of each individual and at the same time insisting that individuals subscribe to a set of commonly held standards – civility, respect, concern for others – produces a healthy tension that helps students learn, grow, and become productive citizens.

You’ll get a glimpse of the unique spirit, vitality, and humor of Academy life on this website – but we suggest a visit to make the potential of an Academy experience come alive. You’ll immediately be struck by the friendliness and civility of our community, the amount of laughter you hear, the palpable respect for learning demonstrated by students and faculty, and the physical beauty of our rural setting. In and of its place, The Academy’s school meeting is modeled on the New England town meeting, a democratic institution where each citizen is encouraged to “Find your voice. Speak your mind.”

The Academy at Charlemont does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, ability, national origin, sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation in its education, admissions, and financial aid policies, or in any other programs and policies administered by the Academy.

The Academy at Charlemont respects the privacy of users of this website. Read our full privacy policy here.